A broken masquerade mirror
by Henry Uchiha
Summary: For a new boy being forced into the dumping ground, it means that Ryan at first thoughts, thinks that he may have gone and found himself a new little toy puppet. Another idiot for him to toy around with. But when the boy finally shows his face, Ryan finds out that maybe his game is no longer simply single player, but he himself has become a pawn in the game. Warning- Boyxboy
1. Chapter 1

_**Hi everyone! This is my first attempt at a Dumping Ground idea that i've been dying to try out! I hope you guys like it! I'll leave a warning with each chapter, just like I do with my other stories. I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!**_ **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point =3**

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It was not uncommon to be lonely; it's not uncommon to be different. It's not all that strange to feel like no one else around you is like you but for the blond boy, sat alone and quiet in the darkness of the early morning, this was the truth.

Born in the countryside of England. The boy had always felt like the odd one out then even worse when his parents had enrolled him at a private school for but two short weeks.

But it had all changed when they had lost everything.

He still remembered the feeling of hatred when they had just come and taken his house.

He had tried to stop them but in the end what could he do? He had been but less than eight years old at the time... and they had simply laughed as they grabbed him by his collar and tossed him onto the cold street into the freezing snow. Leaving him bare. Ripping the clothes off his back for compensation as to the money which his parents owed to the country. The snow left to bite and tear into his skin as he recovered from a couple of kicks to his chest. His breath had hitched as blood had dripped down his mouth. The cold white blanket beneath him had been speckled crimson.

No more home. No more life. No more living like a normal and civil human being.

His parents hadn't stuck around either. Why would they? To him he was the runt of an impossible child. A mistake made from no caution. A mistake that never should have happened. What was it worth to them; another mouth to feed?

As the cold bit into his bare skin he sat there terrified as the winter broke over him. He found no warmth, discovering that there was no escape from the cold. No matter how desperately he tried. No matter just how hard he worked to try and stay warm. His body felt as though it was turning to ice. Like the blood pumping through his heart and veins was becoming nothing more than a frozen waste. "J-just kill me already." His teeth chattered as he cried.

"Why would someone do that?" he looked up to see the only other British girl he had known at his school.

"Marion?" he tried hiding his surprised look as he realized he was only in a towel since he was in the shower when they had kicked him out. Even after he had scrambled for his clothes. It had not been enough to leave him with that simple civility.

"That's my name." she wrapped a large fur coat around him and smiled, "Don't ware it out." She laughed.

"Why are you helping me?" He glared, finding her to be not what he was expecting. He had heard enough rumors around the school of what she was like. He had enough talk of what she did. How she was. Who she was. He had seen her sneaking around with enough people to know that they certainly were just more than rumors.

"Because. Now, I don't have to waste my time trying to date you to get to your family's money." She shrugged openly and honest, confirming what the boy knew to be true.

Not as though he had any interest in her at all.

He'd have more attraction in a rock.

She simply smirked to herself, ignoring the boy's pointed glare. "Cause now you're as pathetically broke as the rest of us." She laughed cruelly at him, finding his situation to be more than enough to lift her spirits from her own situation. "I'd probably give you a week out here... unless you wish to join this little gold digger and learn a few important lessons."

"Go to fucking hell!" The boy snarled. His platinum hair glistened out brightly as his azure, cerulean eyes betrayed all hatred and loathing that was burning inside of him.

"That's a bit better." She nodded. "But let me help you out a bit first. Lesson one, your face and your eyes. They give to much of yourself away. Whenever someone offers you an opportunity kid, any kind which would benefit you. You take it. Regardless of the person or not. If you hate them." She laughed as she watched the way those cold unbelievably bright turquoise eyes bore into her. "You put on an even better dazzling smile and agree. You keep a nice poker face." She crouched down to his height and grinned deeply. "You keep fighting. Keep your spirit up. It's about surviving. It's not about liking people... So I'll ask you one last time. And think very carefully how you answer this, because I'll only accept one answer."

She stared deeply into his eyes. "Do you want to join me and my little family." She asked.

A smirk exploded across her lips as she watched his eyes sparkle, in the light he positioned himself in. His pearly smile split across his face as his voice flowed softly. "Thank you, thank you so much."

That's how he ended up on the streets with his little family gang.

But who cared?

He was happier than any time in his life before.

It didn't change the fact that it still took time to adjust to the entire new life which was thrust upon him.

The gang had become more and more like his family the longer he had spent with them. Well all of them except Marion.

She felt like something more to him though he could never talk to her long enough to figure out what: An enemy. A potential rival. Competition that he wanted to get rid of.

The only person there among the waste of the streets who had seen him at his weakest.

Who had seen him crash onto the street.

She was the only one who had the power to destroy him now. She could tell the others of the old little pampered rich boy who had sat on the street corner waiting for hypothermia to kill him. She was the one who could destroy everything he set out to destroy. His past. His weakness. His old life.

Which meant that he was always adapting his act around her.

He had to survive.

One morning he sat at the end of the pier next to the bridge where he often would think about his old life. "They didn't even put up a fight. They left their poor ugly son alone" He shook his head.

What he didn't realize was how beautiful he was.

He thought since love had never found him it was because he wasn't worth it. That's why he had starved himself. Put himself through so much danger in pushing his body to it's limits that when his street family had found him, they had pinned him down and forced food into his mouth while he had screamed and fought against them. They had staged their little intervention and now kept him on suicide watch on a daily basis. Making sure he drank enough water. Making sure he got enough of his crumbs and didn't give them away. Always watching him.

It just gave him practice on his acting, trying to avoid them and pretend he was fine.

But still it was difficult. Sometimes he longed for the days when he no longer had to bear the weight of the sky on his shoulders. When he had to keep in an act from the moment he woke to the moment he rested his head down on the floorboards of a pier or if he was lucky, inside of a tent. He hated having to act perfect and strong, always keeping himself hidden within. Always making sure that he was stronger and could beat others faster than they could beat him-

"Hey." Came a soft voice, "Long time no see." he turned to see a familiar woman's face with waist length hair which she soaked in petals and flowers from each morning in the river.

She wore an old woven tunic of her own making. It was a soft emerald like the boy's eyes, made of the finest (Stolen) silk, though she always said that it was merely borrowed for a better purpose. It just barely managed to point down to her knees and revealed her warm skinned legs. She always prized herself on being beautiful. Her face was slightly bronzed and she wore a smile which was spread across her face with spring warmth. She always had a smile when she came to see her little boy. Excluding the fact that she was sixteen and he was barely even reaching to nine, she was still more like a mother to him than anything else he had experienced in life so far.

For a minute the boy just stared at her in disbelief. "Persephone?" He looked at the mother of the group. They named her Persephone because during the winter she would go to the other gangs she lived with and check on how they were getting along, but she would always come back during the spring and summer. Those were always the longest months. When she was not here to guide him and help him. To prove that there was still some little amount of humanity behind the mask of his acting. To prove that he did have some life.

She gave him a hug and smiled, "That's right baby I'm home." Rocking him gently back and forth in her embrace as she held him, like she could shield the rest of the world from him.

"Don't call me that." He snapped then sighed. "I'm not a god damn baby or child!"

"Okay my little darling." She whispered in an amused voice, cradling his head close to her chest as though she could protect her little surrogate boy from the rest of the world and it's horrors, "I promise I won't do that again." She had always loved the boy, he was the most spirited out of her children here in the tunnels and side roads of the forests. He had the most fighting spirit in him, even if he kept it submerged beneath his anger and hatred, she knew that he was destined to get out of here. To find his way to something better. He had a talent. A talent that could not have been taught but only discovered. But only if she could get the boy to open up his heart and find something new. To find new life. To find something that went beyond his mask.

"I did miss you..." He looked around slightly in the corner of his eye before whispering, "Mamma." He admitted quietly.

She couldn't keep the beam off her face as she planted a blessing kiss on his forehead and looking him over. From the sloping shirt which was four sizes too big for his delicately fragile small frame, to the shorts which he wore a little too well and posed in, keeping an eye drawn over his cute and adorable form. He might look fragile but he knew exactly how to work it. How to use his cuteness to his advantage though he may protest himself to be horrid. He knew exactly which heart strings to pull during an act.

And that's what made her little baby so deadly. He was her perfect little rose.

Thorns and all.

She brushed his silver blond hair out of his dirt speckled face, brushing her thumb over his cheek as she looked the nine year old over for any bruises. Making sure he hadn't been fighting with his street siblings again. "There's something I need your help with." She whispered quietly. His eye started looking back towards the bank where a cloaked figure was stood.

"What happened?" He gasped when Persephone pulled away the hood and he stared at the hidden boys face. Long sharp needles were dug into his skin as though he was a porcupine. Each one was carefully pushed in and looked completely cruel in making the other boy tormented with pain.

That said... that said, he still blushed slightly at the boy. He had blonde and brown hair as though it couldn't decide what it would like to be more. He was thin and athletically built but the same age as Persephone's little rose. He shook his head as though he could get rid of the idea of the boy and the image of his beautiful form out of his mind.

He took a seat and the boy copied him almost mechanically. "What happened?" He repeated and reached for the first long metal needle. He pulled it out quickly pressing his hand quickly to the spot afterwards with a bit of cloth to stop the bleeding.

Persephone was quite curious to see that her little rose, had torn the cloth from his own shirt to stub the wound. She raised her eyebrow and smirked a little to herself, noticing the blossoming colour behind the boy's mask of emotions.

"I don't remember." Both blonds looked into each other's eyes and shifted uncomfortably after feeling another long needle pulled out.

"Have you got a name?" The little Rose smiled distractedly as he pulled the last needle out.

"Jamie."

"Well Jamie." He smiled, "No offence but you look like you need a shower." He laughed, looking at how filthy Jamie was. It wasn't as though he had any standards, but beneath that dirt, the little rose could tell that something was certainly there that was interesting him.

That very idea itself was new to him. Never before had he ever wasted his time for anyone he had time for.

As he walked under the bridge, he pulled off his shirt first, then shimmied his torn shorts away, kicking them off to the side and cast a look down to himself, not noticing Jamie was looking after him. Persephone's little rose certainly was something to behold. His ribs were just showing, though there seemed to be something else about him. Hidden among his arms and his chest, and underlying and growing toning which looked as though one day, the boy may be incredibly strong. His skin was lightly tanned from laying under the sunlight on the small river pier all day.

Even as a picture of beauty though, he still found himself to be ugly.

Jamie seemed to notice this moment of lingering and the little rose smiled quickly, though his eyes were slower to recover than his sad mask. For a moment a split second of hurt and pain were lingering among them.

Though at least he was content with the life around him. He was content with his small family. He was content with playing the role of hiding and toying with people. After all, it seemed to be his only lingering talent which could be of some use around his family.

He considered that as the water from the broken pipe in the wall washed over him. They had walked to the nearest bridge where Persephone took his shirt and shorts to go clean by the river. Normally her little rose would do it himself but she was still the role of his mother. She would help him and do what she could. It was real maternal instincts which drew her to him. It was like a real mother's love that she felt when she sang him to sleep when he was ill or found crying from his nightmares. She just wished her little rose would rely on her a bit more.

Jamie stared on for a minute, blushing to himself as the boy took off his patched shorts and folded them neatly.

He never really felt any embarrassment when he did this. The emerald eyed boy found that if he had to shower he had to shower. There was little embarrassment among the family. He had done it like this ever since he had first joined the family. He didn't care what other's thought of his body. Only what he thought was important. Well, except for maybe when he was acting. That's when he only ever truly cared.

The water was cool enough that it helped chill him down under the summer's heat, but wasn't chilling enough to make them cold. It was perfect to help the others who got heat stroke, it was perfect to clean yourself with and it was certainly fresh.

His hand moved through silky blond hair and down his body with delicate hands. The light glinted almost hypnotically off his skin. Before his hands moved the water back softly over his face. What he didn't know was that to the side the new boy was watching him and blushing a bright red. "Come on, the water is perfect for washing." he didn't see Persephone almost lunge forward to grab him in her arms and away from the blushing boy. Her little rose was hers. No one, whether they be boy or girl... but from the signs so far, probably and mostly she would have to be watching for any boys, for they would never deserve her little rose.

He laughed and pulled Jamie under the sprinkling water with him smiling, "Come on. Don't want to loose you under that dirt."

"W-What's your name?" Jamie whispered nervously as the boy ran his fingers through Jamie's hair. Gently raking his nails and massaging through the locks so they caressed themselves apart. "If you don't mind me asking." Jamie said softly, closing his eyes slightly and blushing brightly crimson as the other boy giggled, continuing to wipe away the dirt and clean the deep cuts on Jamie's face.

"Oh well that's an easy one." Persephone's little rose smiled. "My name is-"

 _ **-Four years later-**_

The outside was relatively quiet as the car pulled up along the gravel. It crunched lightly under the weight of the car and the grinding of the tires. The dark glass didn't give much away much sight to the two on the inside.

Only the faint thrumming and heavy beat of loud music on the inside of the house gave away anything at all to as what was going on. The faint sound of voices slowly rising with the music, becoming dominant in the otherwise quiet of the street. Only the occasional passing of a car was a noise which rose above the music.

The front of the car opened up slowly to reveal a slightly pale man. He looked aged and slightly tired, thin in his suit but smiling as he always would. He had speckles of facial hair after having not recently getting to shave, like his short cropped hair on his fairing head. He pointed out with his smile as he took a few steps over to open the back car door.

He was already aware of the many peering eyes, gawking from the front window, trying to get a peak.

He halted in his steps nodding his head back and widening his eyes slightly as a silent plea. He knew the boy would probably be scared enough with having to come into this place. He didn't need the first thing he saw to be everyone staring him down as though he was a new animal at the zoo.

The kids inside however only took a few steps back muttered as they walked down the faded crimson walls. One girl standing at the head of a group, wearing glasses and moving ever so carefully with her steps, to look as gorgeous as possible in any light. Her black hair wove down one shoulder and her phone was raised in her hand. "Yeah! The new boy is here! Mike's with him right now Lilly! I hope he's not like the last one. Mike's been all quiet about him! Not saying anything! I wonder if he's some kind of psycho-"  
"Carmen!" Another girl frowned slightly, adjusting her blue jumper and shaking her head as she walked with folded arms.

Her skin was pale and her eyes were stern as she stared at her best friend. She walked lightly in her steps, only stopping as they entered the main room, taking a seat on the edge of the arm of the couch. Her eyes were a soft brown and seemed tainted by a sharp sadness which remained unspoken. She rested her hand on her sharp jawline, her ears intent as she listened to the hallway as the soft echo of steps bounced off the walls.

Her gaze quickly darted back to her best friend, the stern gesture returning but Carmen only just rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah Tee. Don't worry-"

"Go!" Carmen hissed and Tee groaned slightly, shaking her head in exasperation at her best friend. The girl had already ducked beneath the couch and was now staring into the corridor. Her eyes focused with intent while Tee just continued to sigh beneath her breath. "Get down here!" Carmen insisted.  
"Listen Carmen. I don't think that we should-agh!" She yelped as Carmen grabbed her by the arm and dragged her down behind the couch with her.

The others darted up the stairs quickly out the way as Mike came into the hallway, smiling behind himself and to the boy comfortingly as they closed the door softly. "Welcome to Elm Tree house." Mike said softly, patting the boy's shoulder as he lead him along the corridor. "For now you will be sharing a room sorry. It may be a bit noisy, but you will get used to it. It's not that bad around here." Mike kept up the smile as he put an arm comfortingly around the boy.

Carmen and Tee's mouths dropped open slightly as they watched him pass by.  
"Oh."  
"My."  
"God." Both whispered together watching him go by and up the stairs of the house, barely leaving even a single creak on the olden wood steps.

Mike just smiled as they walked down a few corridors till they came to the room he had been looking for. Turning that smile back at the surprising boy once again and slowly sighing as he opened the room and prepared for the worse.

The boy's startling bright turquoise eyes glistened as he took a stance in the light where they would look the most cold. The boy's skin was pale, like the sun had been lacking from his skin for a long while. He wore a low neck Italian black silk shirt with no sleeve's exposing his slender shoulders and softly toned biceps. The silky shirt hung close to his tight and thin frame.

His slender fingers slowly curled as he reached up and took off his shades, running a hand through his silver and glistening platinum hair. His aquatic, ice cold blue eyes burnt like that of a frozen sun. He wore a black jacket over the silky shirt and had his legs clamped into a tight pair of skinny black jeans which showed just really how thin his legs were.

His black platform heel shoes clipped slightly against the wall as he said nothing much but glanced around the room. His eyes locking onto the other bed and objects around the room.  
"Here. So this is the new kid."

Both the boy and Mike looked up as in the doorway a young faced brunette stood quietly. His dark and calculating eyes already looking over the new boy as the slender toned brunette stared over him, watching the impassive cold blue eyes gaze through him, making him flinch slightly with surprise.  
"Ryan, this will be your new room buddy." Mike looked over to the blue eyed boy to introduce himself but the boy stood still, his eyes locked onto his room mate as the silent battle of wills played out between the two boys.

"Ryan." Mike stated, bringing the boy out of his thoughts and making Ryan plaster on a smile as he held out his hand. "Good to meet ya mate, name is Ryan." He said in his natural accent. He adjusted his black jacket and straightened out his white shirt, shoving his hands in his pockets as he tried to figure out this boy in front of him.

The boy just stood there for a long quiet moment, making Mike glance anxiously between both boys and nod to Ryan encouragingly.

"I'm sure we're gonna be the best of mates." He said with a cheesy smile.

The boy slowly and with an elegant and swift move, held out his hand for Ryan, his fingers pointing down.

Ryan rose an eyebrow seeing the move more than just a hand shake.

He reached out slowly and took the boy's hand, moving his own so he would be able to shake it.

"Sirena." The boy said, shooting Mike a cold look like a warning but the man nodded slowly.  
"Strange name for a boy." Ryan shot the comment coolly.  
"What is strange and normal but the expectation of the majority against the minority."  
"Interesting point."  
"I tend to make those quite a lot."  
"Oh really now?"  
"Stick around long enough and you will grow to learn that." The boy said in a voice as soft as silk. It was light and careful but perfect on every word it spoke. Shaping each one of them like a weapon to hit Ryan with and making the brunette raise an eye as his puppy dog brown eyes lingered slightly with confusion, making his rub a hand behind his neck and then along the sharp length of his jawline.

Ryan stared for a minute or so, looking over the boy, trying get something from him, something or anything at all that he could use. He could always do that! He could always read the others around the dumping ground. Easily! It was the easiest thing that he could do! It was so much fun to do! But right at this moment, it was like he was looking at something which was completely impossible.

The boy's face was like a blank mask! Unable to be read! There was simply nothing there. Only the reflection of the light in the pits of his eyes as the boy had positioned himself in the space where it would catch the startling blue of his orbs and intensify them so that they startled the onlooker.

Ryan shifted his weight on his feet, looking over at Mike.

"Well, I'll let Ryan help you settle in. If you need anything or want to chat... Sirena." Mike paused slightly at the name but carried on simply, drawing Ryan's glance. "I'll just be in the office."

Sirena nodded slightly, sending the short fringe and spikes of his platinum hair bouncing slightly as they fell down over his right eye. The rest of his hair was much like that except the line of a fringe across the top in those fierce platinum spikes while the sides and back were cut short.

It wasn't until Mike closed the door that Ryan let a smirk cross his face. "Alright, what the hell was that?"  
"I don't dance for apes." Sirena said simply, reaching down into his bag as he pulled out a pair of black headphones and put them into his ears after plugging them into a Samsung mini galaxy 3 phone. He tapped play on the music playlist and pulled out a length of rope lacing it around the edge of the window and pulling on it to test it's strength.

Ryan however was just stood there still slightly lost for words from the boy's insult.

It wasn't until those harsh cold eyes rolled over him again that he found his voice. "What the bloody hell are you doing? If Mike finds out that I ain't shown you around-"  
"I unpacked, you told me about this place. We became friends." The boy said in a bored tone like an over rehearsed line from a play., but still his voice was soft enough and so silky that it made the words themselves sound even more interesting than they would from someone else.

Ryan just stared on a little shocked as the boy wound the robe around his hand and slowly raised a leg, winding it slowly around the dangling rope. His eyes shooting back up to Ryan.

That's when Ryan finally realized it.

All the time that he had been trying to read the boy... this new kid had been looking through him! Doing the exact same thing but obviously achieving way more easily! Ryan could feel it. The boy's cold gaze sweeping over him like he was an open book.

The boy's mouth turned up slightly at the edge in the indication of a sneer as he backed up slowly towards the window.

"I'm here for eight months." The boy stated, flicking his hair out his eyes and for the first time giving Ryan the first chance to get a good look at him.

He looked about the same age as Ryan, maybe a hint younger perhaps? Not by much though. His eyes had something in them though...

Just the same as Ryan's...

"Hey kid-"  
"Bye." The kid said softly, not even giving Ryan that look as without looking he leapt back out the window with a tight grip on the rope.  
"Bloody hell! Are you-"

Ryan lunged over to the window just in time to see the boy abseil down it like it meant nothing, twirling as he went and letting the sparkles of his cold hair catch in the light till he landed with a perfect balance and glanced up slowly back over his shoulder, once more doing nothing but simply looking through Ryan like an open book.

Sirena ran a hand through his hair slowly and smirked. "Don't worry. I'll be back before we get into trouble... oh and do yourself a favour? Next time. Don't wear a broken mask." With that Sirena turned around, walking away as though he had never even acknowledged Ryan in the first place, while singing softly to the song playing in his ears.

Leaving the Brunette to stand with his jaw open at being treated like this.

Who ever this little git was. Who ever he thought he was.

Ryan was going to do either one of two things.

Make the kid's life a living misery.

Or find a new friend in someone who finally in this whole stinking place, seemed to be...

Well.

Seemed to finally be like him.

This new kid had secrets. No one would have such an act and mask of perfection like that without needing a reason to have it.

 _Oh._ Ryan grinned from ear to ear. Leaning against the window sill where the boy had leapt from and glided down on the rope. _This is going to be one hell of a fun and interesting game._


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi everyone! Thanks** **Justice237 for the lovely review ^_^ and thanks to everyone for the follows so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point. Short chapter I know, but I wanted to get a few introduction chapters out of the way, before the real fun started =)**

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Ryan gritted his teeth as he scoured through the backpack and suitcase next to Sirena's bed. His eyes glared at every bit of fabric shirt or jacket. Every stupid pair of leather or otherwise black denim skinny jeans that he came across. They had no labels! They had nothing inside! The only indication he could take from them were that they were a similar size to his own, but just more slender fitted!

He had been doing this for almost half an hour now! At least! Since the moment that the new boy had vanished out the sight of the drive. He had been going through the bag, growing angry after what he had thought to himself and the boy had said. Wore a broken mask?! Ryan was the best at this game! He never wore a broken mask! He came to the game to win! Each and every single time he would win!

But other than stupid clothes, and god knows there were enough of them in there! Ryan couldn't find anything else in the bag! No posters of this new kid's favorite bands! No indication of a wallet or left behind phone. The one that the boy seemingly had taken was, his only one apparently. So no spare one?

Ryan grinned slightly through his continued frustration.

At least that was something.

That made it a hell of a lot easier already to be able to find some information. He just had to start planning to get it somehow from the boy without him noticing. Sirena had only one phone? That meant there wasn't a chance for him to hide anything. First lesson that Ryan had learnt in his early days was to always have his back covered encase people came snooping. Leave them a false trail, that way, while they were too busy then heading down the wrong path, it gave the person plenty of a chance then to make sure what they truly were trying to keep hidden, safe.

"A rookie mistake." He muttered.

He snarled though when he could find absolutely nothing else! No little trinkets which the boy may otherwise want to keep hidden! No watch! No ring, no pictures! No photos! Nothing to link him to anything else! Nothing but the clothes on his back, which Ryan wouldn't wear, not for no amount of money! Who the hell was this kid! Who doesn't keep stuff like that around! Everyone had something linking them to where they came from. So why the hell didn't this kid!

Why didn't he-

"What would be a rookie mistake."

Ryan snapped his head around to the doorway and had to keep his face absolutely calm and still, then focus on making sure that his heart beat didn't explode into a frantic pace.

Mike was stood there, with both arms crossed as he was lent against the doorway. One eyebrow was raised expectantly as his stern gaze locked onto Ryan, looking the boy over with a fixated point of disappointment. He had swapped out his suit for a more casual, turquoise collared t-shirt and a comfortable pair of jeans. His black framed glasses had slid to the end of his nose, allowing him to look over the top of the frames as he let out a small sigh. "Ryan-"  
"Well-" The brunette raised his hands, putting on a picture perfect smile of innocence onto his pale face. His orbs sparking with his false misunderstanding of Mike's look. "For one, looking at me like that, as though I've done something wrong!" Ryan objected, adjusting his shirt and jacket before slowly pulling his hands back from the bag and the pile of clothes, that he had been shoving back in, exactly as he had found them. "Looking at me as though I have done something wrong, would be one."  
"Ryan." Mike said in an exasperated tone of warning.  
"I was only just doing what you had gone and told me to do!" He object, looking the picture perfect of hurt. "You told me to help the new kid-"  
"By showing him around and trying to help his confidence with moving into his new home-"  
 _Help with his confidence?_ Ryan sneered in his thoughts, fighting the urge to curl his lip snidely with a mocking snort. _The boy doesn't need any help at all with that!_

That's when Ryan watched a flash, the fastest glimpse of black against the corridor, just as outside, something flashed and caught the sight of his vision, like the glare of light off a mirror, making him flinch slightly.

Ryan blinked, for a second, frowning on the inside as he focused his sight behind Mike. _No... it's just his shadow._ He thought, but for a moment, he could have sworn that it had looked like another shadow, instead of just the passing of the car outside.

He tried not to grit his teeth as for a moment his mind reeled the possibility of a car outside, driving by so fast, would be able to have caused such a direct gaze and burst of sunlight into his eyes.

That probability just didn't add up too far in his esteem.

"He asked me to help him unpack. I was just helping him, until you came knocking!"  
"Then why were you putting his stuff back into the bag?" Mike shot back.  
"What am I supposed to do when you come in looking like that?" Ryan questioned.  
"Well where is Sirena then?"  
"Having a shower. He said he wanted to clean himself up after the journey here."  
"That's funny because the last I checked, as I walked past, he wasn't in there-"  
"Oh... well- you see then-"

Both paused as a loud knocking came on the door.

Ryan's jaw dropped open as in the doorway, there stood the pale and silver haired blond without any shame, hair slicked back and still dripping as his porcelain skin was beaded with the still misty steam of hot water in the slightly cold air. The boy was stood with his arms pulled around himself, only turning his face to look slightly embarrassed and ashamed as Mike turned a glance around and noticed Sirena there with only a white cotton towel wrapped around his waist. "R-Ryan, I thought you said that you were going to bring those clothes I asked to the bathroom? I'm sorry if I didn't hear you right."

Mike turned to look at Ryan his eyes wide with guilt suddenly.

Sirena only shot a pointed look, only letting it blink out of existence and bringing back the complete softness of his eyes when Mike turned his head to look back at the silver blond boy, and almost stand like a human shield behind him, from anyone else who may have been wondering through the corridors at all.

"Well sorry, you see I was just about to bring them, but I couldn't find the right ones you asked me for. Then just as I got the ones you asked for, I couldn't find those pink boxers. Like the ones you asked for."

Mike turned his head away, trying not to let his jaw fall open at the open detail Ryan was saying so casually.

The brunette smirked every time Mike glanced away from his gaze.

"Oh, sorry, they're just at the bottom of the pile, next to the leather jeans and studded belt, with matching collar, you know, like the choker style necklace, you know the one you said that you liked and I said you could have for helping me? You know. In the spot I said normally where I keep my phone." Sirena said gently.

Now it was Ryan's turn to nearly stop his jaw smashing off the floor, his eyes widening with disbelief as Sirena's brow slowly sneaked closer together, his eyes glistening in their harsh ice blue as Mike stared at Ryan, shocked by Sirena's flowing manipulative voice. But the man was completely surprised, believing Sirena's soft innocence, the look in the mask face that he held, so much so that he would believe Ryan may have a strange want to wear choker necklaces? Or anything like that?!

 _He knew I'd go for the phone._ Ryan thought with absolute disbelief.

"Uh M-Mike? I-Is it okay if I get changed now? I don't want the others to-"  
"O-Oh! Sure, absolutely, go on ahead." The man stammered, still caught by the lie that Ryan had an interest in jewelry.  
"Thanks again Ryan." Sirena smiled so sweetly with a beautifully acted mask, so much so that it was so more human than any emotion that could be acted. " _I really owe you one._ " The purr lost it's edge as the words took on a tone that only someone else who would have known this kid to have been acting, would have picked up on.

The ice cold words laced with a sweet and false caring tone.

Ryan just smiled back at the boy as Sirena, kept his arms around himself, taking a step into the room as Mike was closing the door.

"Maybe I can teach you all about fashion, and man make up, like you had asked me when you saw my set-"

Mike's eyes widened even further, just as he stammered like a fish and Sirena's foot casually sneaked out, curling around his leg and pushed the door the last few inches close.

The boy's sweet smile being replaced with a vicious cold smirk and shinning, sparkling, ice glistening eyes that caught and went even brighter in the light of the room.

His arms went from being protective over his own body to folding slightly just beneath his chest as he flashed a pearly grin. His pose lent back and knowing as he reached up one hand, brushing out a few loose droplets of water before looking back into the depths of Ryan's eyes. "A broken mask and butter fingers?" Sirena chuckled coldly, slowly taking a few steps forward, slowly curling his finger around one loose silver lock of his fringe. "Honestly Rye-Rye? Poor form."  
"Do not call me, _Rye-Rye._ " The brunette snarled, glaring viciously as he squared himself up to the other boy, looking down slightly at him as Sirena tilted his head back.

His fingers trailed over to a nearby table where Ryan had set up a game of chess, more symbolic than actually meant to play. But now Sirena's fingers danced over the pure white wooden pieces. His fingers glittering in their pale shade over the pure white as those ice cold eyes glittered with unspoken words. Even with Ryan's cold glare burning down on him, Sirena held his own stance.

His fingers moving across the white pawn piece before Ryan gripped onto it and moved it forward slowly across the board to position F4. "Listen kid, I think we're both playing two different games here. I play the game where I win."  
"Funny." Sirena purred softly, keeping his eyes dead locked with Ryan's as he moved the black piece forward, two spaces in front of his Queen.

Ryan rose an eyebrow and glared as he became distracted when Sirena took a step back slightly, glancing down to his nails as though to spot an imperfection where there wasn't.

"I didn't know that anyone else played games to win." Sirena said gently, turning his confident gaze back up slowly as Ryan moved a piece across the board.

But before he could set the piece, he frowned, glaring back down to Sirena. "Where did you go."  
"Huh, I didn't know that you cared, Ryan?" Sirena grinned, making the brunette slam the piece down to G4, two pawns in line now making a barrier.

The boy's face became deadly serious for a moment. All pretense of joking around was completely gone. The soft look and teasing tone of his voice which had been there before, the innocent whisper which had been there in front of Mike.

Ryan grinned from ear to ear, thinking that he finally had caught the boy off guard. That he finally stumped the confident boy. Maybe put a dent in that act and a crack in the boy's mask. This was this game. He played it to win. No one else! Him! Always him! He always won! No one beat him!

The grin glistened with true malice.

For the split of a second anyway, then it completely vanished like Sirena's serious look, which had been replaced with a glowing look of victory.

 _No... no way._ Ryan shook his head, watching that soft and half eyed look explode back across Sirena's face as though it had never at all vanished. He leaned closer slowly, showing Ryan the dark pits of his eyes, past the exceedingly bright disguise which the light showed in their cold blue, azure tones. "Well _Rye-Rye._ " Sirena whispered so softly that it was almost lost on the sound of the breeze coming out the window. "I've been playing the game nearly as long as I can remember."

He glanced down a the board and patted Ryan on the back as he moved towards his bag. Grinning as he pulled his phone and head phones out from against his waist, where the toned line of his hipbones were showing. "Next time then you get yourself stuck in a situation, be careful. You should leave it to those of us who actually know _how,_ to play the game." Sirena said.

Ryan however was staring down at the board in complete disbelief as Sirena pulled on a pair of pink and black trimmed boxers, before gracefully sliding his legs into a pair of skinny jeans and a white sleeveless shirt, the front font of it was sparkled and glistened in the light like diamonds, not unlike how Sirena's eyes glistened like ice.

"After all." He shrugged, shaking his spiked of hair out, and pulling a brush out his bag as he began to style it, walking towards the door as he plucked a black tie fresh from the pile of clothes, pulling out the spiked stud belt and choker, spike stud collar, before placing both in their place. "I may not be around next time you, _step out of your league._ " Sirena smirked, open the door and beginning to walk down the corridor.

Only to stop and poke his head back around the doorway and smile sweetly. "Oh and by the way? That's checkmate _Rye-Rye._ See you at dinner." He smirked, walking away.

Had he only seen the look of pure unadulterated rage explode across Ryan's face, but managed to catch the sound of the boy screaming out in frustration as the chess board was lobbed out the doorway and smashed into the wall where Sirena's head had been but a few seconds before.

 _This isn't checkmate!_ Ryan's thoughts screamed as the boy seethed. Eyes fixated and glaring at the spot on the wall. _THIS GAME HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi everyone! Thanks** **Justice237 for the lovely review again, I'm so glad you like the story! ^_^ and thanks to everyone for the follows so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point. As always, with most of my stories, I tend to update quickly after getting a review, so here's another chapter =)**

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Ryan was still seething half an hour later as he had picked up the chessboard and placed it back on the table in his and Sirena's room. He had put the pieces all back together in the exact moves they had been in when Sirena had put him into checkmate after two moves!

His eyes glared down at the Queen piece which had his white king in checkmate.

What was going on?! He normally was far more collected and confident than this! He was the master of this game, and he didn't mean chess.

He was trying to make sense of it all. How had Sirena come out of the shower? Ryan had watched the boy leap and abseil out of the window. He hadn't come back up that way, so it must have meant that he had managed some way to sneak back in? But the shower had been running for at least fifteen or so minutes! Even Ryan would have noticed by that point if Sirena had come back!

No way had that weird blond been actually able to sneak past him! He may have got past Mike and all those other idiots! But there was just absolutely no way that he would have been able to do it past Ryan! The brunette wasn't like the rest of the idiots in this place! He actually had a brain inside his head. It's what raised him above the rest of them, that he was the puppet master and they all clung from the strings to his fingers! He said jump, they said _'how high?'_.

It was the way that it worked.

The natural order.

But this new kid. Sirena. What exactly was he? He seemed to almost be everywhere at once, almost know everything. He had known that Ryan would go for his phone. He had so easily on their first attempt, closed him down so curtly, he had made Mike a puppet of that soft, lullaby like voice which the boy used and wielded like a doting weapon.

No. This wasn't how it was all supposed to happen! This is not how life around here was supposed to be! These were his puppets! Not this new kid's!

This game wasn't meant to be two player.

"Oh, quite right so."

Ryan glanced up to see the silver haired blond stood in the doorway with that smirk. "This is a one man show. But the spotlight won't be on you Rye-Rye."  
"Cut it out!" He snarled, his glare being held back behind his clipped voice and placed mask of a face. He quickly scolded himself, letting his shoulders ease out of their stress, and his fingers flex slowly so they weren't balled into fists. His annoyance at the stupid nickname evaporating it as he willed himself not to say anything else, but remember to act as though he was around any of those other idiots in the house.

To remain calm, collected and cool. To keep himself always in act and to always make sure to have himself covered. He was just taken back that was all. That's why he had lashed out like that. But when playing the same game, he knew sometimes one person always cracked and showed just how they were feeling.

A mistake that he wasn't going to make again.

"Finally we're agreed on something." Ryan said calmly.

He gently nudged a piece forward on the chessboard, slowly easing back onto a seat sideways, watching how Sirena's eyes traced him with every single movement. Just as Ryan did with the boy.

It was like there was a mirror between them, but neither were following and neither were leading. They were just reflected to one another with movements their bodies used so often, neither were aware that they were being used.

Sirena smirked slightly and spoke with a low soft tone as he walked over to the large mirror by Ryan's bed. Staring at his reflection and the outfit that he had put on. "Let's play a game." Sirena whispered, his fingers moving ever so lightly across the glass that they didn't even seem to leave a mark. But his eyes were so piercing that Ryan felt his guard go up. "That's better, but I'm serious Rye-Rye. Let's play a game. The only game that people like me and you know how to play."  
"A trade." Ryan smirked, mirroring the cold look on Sirena's face.  
"I'm here for eight months. As tedious as it is, this little pit stop means I'm with you for a while. I want to know who's going to be playing my game." Sirena slowly let their gaze deeper as he tilted his head back slightly, that pearl grin slowly sliding back onto his face. "I want the pleasure of knowing just exactly who it is that I'm going to be crushing."  
"You got to be joking, ain't you mate?"  
"Oh honey, I'm deadly serious." Sirena's eyes became all the more colder in their digging as he walked over to the table slowly. "Me and you know just exactly how it works around here. The true hierarchy and the true values of the rules and how it works."

Ryan rose an eyebrow at the boy's choice of shirt. He was finally able to make out just exactly what the shirt read: _Poker Face._ The font was made out of small bulging diamond shaped plastic, added together but coated in complete black. The boy wore the studded collar still which stood out incredibly against his porcelain pale skin. But it seemed the boy had traded the ordinary skinny jeans for a pair of leather ones, with matching platform heel boots.

This boy was certainly anything but ordinary.

Ryan laced his fingers, propping one elbow against his raised knee,"Then what rules do you suppose we play by."  
"Let's make this easy then. One piece." Sirena indicated down to the board, "equals one question. I'd ask for us both to give us our word that we'd answer truthfully, but we both know that our word means so much more same something insignificant as the truth."  
For the first time Ryan found himself grinning with Sirena.  
As frustrating as it was. It was interesting that he wasn't having to play his game like he was actually a nice person.

"Checkmate equals-"  
"Oh don't get ahead of yourself Rye-Rye." Sirena's Cheshire cat grin exploded into life.  
"A memory." Ryan stated confidently, his eyes wondering casually over the board as he was already evaluating his position. "If I win, you have to tell me where you came from, just why you're only here for eight months." The brunette grinned.  
"And if I win?"  
"I'll tell you same. Just exactly what these idiots around here have been scrounging for since day one." Ryan stated, his arrogance in himself slightly showing, mixed with his confidence.  
"Why would something boring like that, be of any interest to me."  
"What?" Ryan frowned.  
"Now that would be me, revealing my mask." Sirena said curtly. "But don't worry, I'm sure that I can think of something if I win."

Ryan's offer... something he made because he was so confident that unlike last time, he wouldn't lose. He was so confident that he would give someone the answer to something that he had been carrying secret in here since the first day. Something that the others would claw over each other for... and Sirena had just rejected, but not only that but made a claim that was impossible.

 _He's trying to get into your head again! Don't let him throw you off!_ Ryan's thoughts growled.

He would not be crushed like last time. No. This time he would keep cool, he wouldn't let the situation go against him.

He was already in his mind, running across the different paths, the different situations, the different conclusions, the different ways that this match could go.

Sirena just lightly fell backwards onto his bed. His shirt hiking up slightly to expose the pale and strong outlines of his hipbones against his skinny figure. His hand lightly danced over the skin, mocking a slow walk and what almost looked like a dance as he made his fingers dance to what ever choreography it was going through his mind, while his face the was the complete expression of captured boredom, only glistening with a new light as he looked up to see Ryan make a move. "You play a dangerous game." He said gently, kicking off one boot and stretching out his leg elegantly to nudge a piece precisely with his toe.  
"Isn't life just a dangerous game?"  
"Valid point." Sirena conceded.  
"I tend to make those, you'll learn that the longer you spend around me." Ryan smirked, earning a spectacular sparkle in Sirena's eyes as the boy glanced over to him with a raised eyebrow. "But I've come to learn that it all depends on your piece on the board." Ryan grinned, picking up his king piece slowly. "The safest place can be the most dangerous. Look at king for example. Surrounded by a strong army but yet it's no one else that's being hunted down directly. It's him."

Ryan scooted forward another pawn piece.

Sirena casually brought his leg flexibly back up, not even looking at the board as he inspected just how high he could raise his leg, his interest lingering on Ryan's words.

 _He's flexible._ Ryan made a mental note to himself, slightly impressed.

Sirena slowly rolled onto his front, lazily bringing his legs up behind him to softly graze his back before he kicked out lightly with them. Resting his chin on his laced hands as he watched the board with more of a genuine curiosity now, his eyes glancing over Ryan with a slight hint of respect as he examined his situation. "I'm in a generous mood. Have the question, which has been trying to burst out of that little mouth of yours since before I walked back into the room. But if you do, I will show no mercy in my response." Sirena nudged a piece forward, his eyes carefully now eyeing Ryan up.  
"Oh really?" The brunette smirked, moving the piece and taking Sirena's Knight pawn.

The boy looked up for a long moment at Ryan before shrugging and nodding his head. His eyes now lost that faint hopeful sparkle, that had been there before.

Ryan had to say, he was a little forlorn that it wasn't there. It had actually suited the new boy.

"How did you do that? Manage to get away with sneaking back in."  
"Simply." Sirena smirked.

Ryan's mouth fell open slightly. "I took your pawn, the game was-"  
"The game was I give you an answer. You asked me, how, not to tell you how. But you know what. Since you were so _upset,_ about losing before. I'll tell you." Sirena muttered smoothly, his voice low but still soothing, as he glanced out the corner of his eye at Ryan. "After Mike walked me up here, I noticed that someone was in their room, just getting ready to have a shower. I casually slipped it to Mike that I was absolutely dying to have a shower before we came into the room, there by a few minutes later after he had left and told you to play nice with me, he assumed that it was probably me who had gone into the bathroom. Clearing myself a decent fifteen or so minutes, adding that onto the amount of time that he would expect us to be talking for, to introduce ourselves." Sirena smirked deeply, his eyes now glistening again. "And I feel our introduction went quite well, _Rye-Rye,_ and for as much fun as it was, I had plans already."

The silver blond casually glanced over his shoulder and let out a bored sigh, though something in his eyes glistened faintly again. Something Ryan wasn't exactly quite so sure of.

But it had certainly been the first time that he had seen Sirena almost slip up on something.

"I waited for the moment that I could hear the shower start, at which point I took my swift leave." Sirena nodded, looking over to Ryan to see if he was keeping up so far. He tried not to grin at the brunette's subdued surprise. "I knew I had probably about fifteen minutes or so, that was the fun part. I saw the others outside when I came back, messing around, so I knew that Mike or that... woman. Haven't caught her name yet, must do that at some point." Sirena said, growing more bored now that he was talking directly to the brunette instead of playing around with him. "Point is, neither of them would have thought that it was me who came back, since they thought that I would be in the shower and still trying to get used to this place."

Sirena chuckled slightly at just exactly how good he was. His eyes shinning with whole new different sparkle this time.

"You planned all of it." Ryan said, staring slightly a bit more than he should as he looked over Sirena who's face was the epitome of bored.  
"You got it Rye-Rye." Sirena nodded.  
"The glare of the mirror and flash in my eyes... that was you!"  
"That was planned too." Sirena nodded.  
"Knowing I'd go for you phone?" Ryan rose an eyebrow.  
"Oh come on, that's just basics." Sirena smirked. "Besides."

Sirena slowly rose from the bed and walks over carefully to Ryan. Dragging his hand onto his own piece for a moment, moving his bishop, teasingly dropping it across the spaces, like it was a small bunny hopping as it claimed Ryan's knight's pawn. "Do you really think that I would, be that stupid?" He whispered softly, dropping onto Ryan's bed just in front of the brunette.  
"H-Hey what the hell are you doing-"  
"I've met a thousand people like you. Each of them thought that they were the top of their game. Each of them thought that they could win against me." His slender hands slowly slammed onto the wall suddenly on either side of Ryan's head. Those cold eyes suddenly losing all sparkle as Sirena was showing part of the mask being taken away for the first time.

There was hatred in those orbs.

But a hatred like the kind that Ryan had no idea existed.

It was so pure, unrelenting. So vicious that it poured from his eyes. Only the rest of the mask over Sirena's face and voice concealed the damn of the venomous hatred.

And all of it was aimed directly, right now at Ryan.

Their faces were but a hairs width apart, and Ryan had no where to run. He was too pinned back by surprise, shock and that pure incomparable look of hatred, to do anything else other than just remain there frozen, and pale as Sirena's soothing voice was still so soft but now as sharp as the edge of a blade. Sinking beneath Ryan's skin and spreading like a virus or even a poison. "Man, woman, boy, girl. All of them the same. Just like you." He purred, arching his back slightly and making Ryan sink back till his head was resting against the wall between Sirena's hands.  
"W-Who the hell do you think you are-"

His voice fell back in his throat as Sirena's look bore through him.

"I'm the one who sees you. I see you Ryan. Just like I always have."

Ryan's eyes widened at that.

"Just like I always do, with everyone." Sirena added slowly, his eyes still piercing through the brunette's. "A coward, the puppeteer behind the curtain who thinks that he can look over me as though he would with any of his other puppets. You hide behind the curtain thinking you're safe, staying quiet as the rules of our game would just so tell us both to do. But guess what?" Sirena's pearly, malicious smile didn't go with the irate, inferno of his gaze. "You're to scared to step into the spotlight, even if someone shoved you into it."

Ryan just stayed there, staring, unable to say anything.

"This is your reality check." Sirena whispered, leaning forward so his lips could purr softly into Ryan's ears. "You? And anyone else who dares try to play that game with me. I will crush. Slowly. Make your life a living hell, before I destroy you."

Ryan knew the boy's words to be true, because this was what it meant to win the game that they both played. To destroy someone. To toy with them, so much that their strings fall free and they go crashing down.

It had been Ryan's greatest tool for survival.

"At the end of the eight months, you will be free, and I will be gone. You can carry on your selfish little life the way you see fit. You won't have me to deal with. But you get me involved in your game? I swear. You. Will. Lose." Sirena whispered.  
"Sirena. Enough."

Both shot their gazes over to the doorway, where a girl was stood, with dead set eyes on the silver blond. Her electric blue, highlighted hair fell down either side of her shoulders, while the rest of the hazel nut brown colour fell down her back in a straight curtain. Her cold eyes regarded the situation for a moment, looking at Sirena's glare.

"Ryan, you're out of your league on this one." The girl stated calmly, adjusting her blue leather jacket and grey lightning bolt shirt. Her arms were folded and she was lent against the doorway. "Sirena. Heel before you go too far."  
"You're right... Sis." The blond stated coldly, slowly shoving himself of Ryan and grabbing his jacket off the floor where it had fallen. "But he had it coming." He muttered under his breath before pausing, looking over his shoulder once last time as the mask of the boy's face seemed to be pulling itself back together, like stitching skin closing over a wound. "Stay out of my way." He warned quietly, moving over to the embrace that Elektra offered him when both had left the room.

Her voice was soft as she pulled an arm around him and looked down at the younger boy, sighing softly. "Come on... I'll talk to Mike about seeing if you can share a room with me. Stay away from him, he's nothing but trouble."  
"He's worthless competition anyway." Sirena muttered, glancing over his shoulder to the bedroom where Ryan was still sat there on the bed, digesting the words which had been stabbed into him.

But even as the words circled his mind and the threat warned in his head, his own thoughts couldn't help themselves. _Sis? He's been playing me since I said hello! We now know something!_ _He uses shock and surprise! Hang on wait a minute..._ Ryan's eyes widened.  
"THAT'S CHECK MATE!" He heard Sirena call from down the hall way.  
"This boy..." Ryan grinned from ear to ear. "He's something else entirely."

His cold eyes glittered hungrily down the corridor after the boy's fading shadow.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi everyone! Thanks** **Justice237 for the lovely review again, I'm so glad you like the story! ^_^ and thanks to everyone for the follows so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point.**

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Ryan wasn't sure just exactly what he had been expecting when he came down from his room a few hours later and found his fellow house mates sat down in their chairs, eating dinner and talking loudly to one another as they always did. Carmen's loud mouth was the dominant sound among the chat as she busied herself talking to the usual, meaning that she was blabbering gossip to Tee, and to the pale girl who always ended up coming around here... what was her name again? Lilly? Oh who cared.

She wasn't in the game long enough to be an important piece worth knowing.

But their conversation seemed to be the one of interest among every one as they all tucked into their dinners. "You should have seen him Lilly!" She exclaimed, throwing her hands out dramatically, as let out a long dreamy sigh. "He looked like a movie star! He was gorgeous! Hair like the moon!" She sighed, leaning her head into her palm and gazing out the window as though she was looking at him.  
"Your not his type." Tee said, trying to hold back and amused laughter at the obvious fact which Carmen seemed not to have taken in quite yet.

Ryan glared behind the cover which the wall gave him, at them all. They were so pathetic, all of them. Carmen and her egotistical vein nature. Tee and her hopeless dream of ever finding the perfect foster family, still praying one day that her and Johnny would be taken in somewhere and they would have their picture perfect life. Lilly with her inability to let go of the past.

His eyes rested on a olive toned skin girl, sat at the edge of the table. Her dark eyes lingering on the plate in front of her for a moment, deep in thought before she just narrowed her gaze at the Afro haired boy next to her. Jodi and Tyler.

The three idiots didn't stand a chance in his game.

The younger ones weren't even worth it acknowledging.

They were just pawns. Ryan's eyes over ever truly studied those who could be used for true fun in the game.

But he still said nothing as he slipped into the nearby shadows as he heard the sound of close footsteps behind him, coming down the steps and the hushed whispers of a girl's voice. "Listen kiddo, it's different here! Even for me! You got to give it a chance. But stay away from Ryan. You've come so far from all that, you don't need to be going back to it because of one little weasel. You gone so long without doing anything like that, you don't need him to pull you back into that."

 _Weasel._ He narrowed his eyes, which sparkled in the black of the shadows as he watched Sirena and Elektra walk by. The boy's silver hair still glittering... huh. Ryan tilted his head slightly as he watched the boy go by.

His hair does sort of glow... like moonlight. He thought for a moment then shook his head, going back to narrowing his eyes. No. He had finally just found someone to play the game. Someone who may just actually be worth playing against. He had been wrong at first. He needed someone to play against! He needed it like a crack addict would crave a drug. He needed the game and by the look of it. This new boy was the only one around here actually worth playing it with.

The only one intelligent enough.

Before Sirena had even officially even been here a night, he had already pegged Ryan down. He had read Ryan like an open book and used surprise to unnerve him. Sirena used his entire body, everything around him, slowly getting under Ryan's skin and building from there, like a slow acting poison. Although it had been the most frustrating thing that Ryan had ever felt, it had also been one of the most interesting things that he had ever felt.

Someone. Finally someone had seen him for him. For the conniving, manipulative, cold hearted little controlling git that he was.

And he hated it.

But thrived and loved it too. Because the person who knew it, was just the same themselves! They were like him! Another light in this dark room!

Finally another human among this sea of idiots!

All became suddenly hushed as they turned their heads up slowly to watch the boy in sync as he took his seat at the table quietly, next to Elektra who smiled at him encouragingly, talking quietly while the others around him all just gawped at him and stared at him.  
"I don't get it? What was I supposed to have missed?!" Carmen frowned.  
"Oh I get it now." Lilly nodded at Tee who just face palmed and sighed into her hands as she put on a tired smile for the new boy.

The younger ones just whispered quietly to each other glancing between one another as Mai-Li walked over. The tall Asian lady had a soft smile and tone to her eyes as she held out her hand and introduced herself formally to Sirena.

Ryan looked a bit more carefully at the boy's face while he now had the chance to do so. The boy was still in the same outfit he had changed into, but now his eyelids were decorated softly with a pale shade and outlined with an intense black which made the cold of his eyes pop out more viciously. His eyes had no sparkle like they had done when Ryan and he had been talking. There was no sense of any emotion at all. None. Like earlier that afternoon, the boy looked completely empty of all emotions and tones. Like something human about him was lacking. Like he was an incomplete piece of artwork, lacking a sense of action or purpose.

Ryan smirked.

Was this what Sirena was like when he wasn't playing the game? No spark of life? Nothing seeming to be there? Well that brought up a few important questions, just like most of this afternoon had. But now there was a priority growing in Ryan's mind, from least important to most. What had happened that Sirena now seemed so much like the empty shell that Ryan had met this morning? What was this relationship between the boy and Elektra? Were they actually brother and sister, or was it something other than just blood related? Did Elektra know him and if so, what had she meant? Sirena had gone so long without what? Without playing the game? Why would someone so good at the game go without playing it? Why would Sirena give it up? For people like Sirena and Ryan, it was all that they knew how to do right.

Most importantly.

How was Ryan going to ensure that he dragged Sirena back into it all.

Ryan would not let Sirena get pulled away. No. He had been by himself too long. He would not let it happen.

Slowly he prowled out of the shadows and moved into his chair. Like everyone else, he stared after Sirena, who was keeping his eyes locked on Elektra while the girl smiled and talked to him. "I'll talk to Mike after dinner." She said quietly, frowning slightly at Sirena's blank expression as the boy tapped a finger casually on the table.

Elektra's head immediately shot in the direction of the others. A cold look spreading wildly through her eyes like warning fire to the other's who looked away innocently, as though they hadn't been staring at the boy like he had dropped out of the sky.

Only Ryan smirked, resting his head on his chin as he stared into the other boy's eyes coldly. His face a picture of absolute innocence while Sirena's was of complete abandoning to his emotions.

Elektra glowered Ryan down as the battle of wills seemed to be going like a wild fire between the girl and the boy in warning. Her eyes occasionally glancing back to Sirena and clamping a hand down on the table next to his, like she was trying to show a sign of comfort. "Hot, gorgeous, dresses like a movie star, great sense in clothing, likes makeup and dead quiet. Is he the perfect boy or what." Carmen whispered, thinking she had been a lot more quieter than she actually was.  
"Uh Carmen, I think you will find that he's-"  
"Hey-" Mia-Li interjected, frowning slightly.  
"Put your eyes back in your head, he doesn't need all of you staring him down." Elektra snapped protectively, her brows furrowing together as her cold eyes flashed. She slammed her hands on the table, bringing all of their gazes to her as she glowered through each and everyone of them. It was only when Sirena began to rise did she lighten her gaze and sigh, glancing over to him. Her gaze turned pleading and Ryan watched as he literally see the words pouring through her eyes, instead of her lips. _'Please don't. They're idiots, I know. But don't compromise yourself.'  
Oh Elektra. _Ryan though so coldly that he had to fight the laugh coming out of him, only letting a hint of a smirk spread across the side of his mouth. _I'm going to make sure that if you are on about what I think are, I'm going to corrupt him and twist that little heart black!_

Sirena's eyes shot over to him like a bullet, watching Ryan's reaction for a second out the corner of his eye before moving back to looking down at the table in front of him as he laced his fingers. Gently tapping them out on the table, in a rhythm.

But Ryan was already making his move as he spoke calmly and innocently. "But, why would Sirena want to move out of our room? After all, we're getting on together great so far-"  
"So he speaks to Ryan?" Carmen muttered, looking at Tee as though to say, _'what the hell?'._ "What is it that Ryan has that I haven't! I have pretty much most things!" _  
_"I'd say that the new boy's probably talking to Ryan instead of you, because Ryan has something that you certainly never will." Lilly muttered, smirking and making the others come into a fit of quiet snickers and laughter.  
"Knock it off!" Elektra barked, making them cough and splutter themselves into silence awkwardly. But Lilly only flinched back slightly and paled when those ice cold eyes moved over to her, like claws dragging across an invisible shield of glass before piercing into her and making the girl go pale.  
 _And there he is._ Ryan thought victoriously.  
"I thought it was against the rules for a boy and a girl to share a room together?" He asked softly.

Everyone turned their head around to Mai-Li who seemed quite taken a bit back herself by Ryan's question. The idea and question of why Elektra would want a boy to move in with her, was certainly one important question, a stranger boy none the less, who no one else around here seemed to know.

The second was would happen or not.

"I think this is certainly something for you both to talk to with Mike about. It is certainly nothing for all of you to know about." She stated, walking around and filling everybody's cups.  
"After all mate, I thought we were getting along great."  
"Honestly though? What is it that Ryan has-"

Sirena's fist closed slowly.

Ryan's eyes sparkled.

The boy's gaze shot around him slowly, raising up as the others leaned back slightly in their seats, being on the receiving end of that cold and blank gaze, those unnerving eyes seeing into their souls as Sirena was reading most of them like an open book.

All the while, Ryan was gritting his teeth, biting his lip ever so slightly as he was watching more of the boy come out, inch by inch. That blank, empty look being replaced as Sirena's act of a mask was going up.  
"Ryan, shut it." Elektra snapped. "Carmen, zip it!"  
"I just want to know!" The girl persisted.  
"Carmen, lay off him!" Tee, said, her eyes becoming stern as he kicked her friend under the table.  
"It's so obvious! What does he have to wear a sign?!" Lilly exclaimed.  
"I reckon the new kid looks weird." Tyler muttered quietly, frowning slightly as he looked between his friend and Sirena who gazed at the table.

 _He's going to crack._ Ryan thought.

Those eyes finally launched up in their gaze and locked onto him.

Both arming their masks quietly.

"Don't do it." Elektra urged, her eyes glancing between him and Ryan, her gaze soft and her words whispered frantically to the silver blond, while her eyes turn foul and harsh as they bore through Ryan.

But he didn't care.

The brunette needed the other boy to play the game. It was boring playing this lot by himself.

Sirena was a way to alleviate that boredom.

"Why would he speak only to Ryan? Does it have anything to do with the fact that he likes boys?" Jodi asked out loud, frowning slightly and bringing a hushed silence.

The girl paused for a moment, not noticing now that everyone was seemingly looking at her, while she pondered down her path of thought. "So maybe because he thinks Ryan's hot?"

Sirena's jaw dropped open.

Elektra stared over with an absolute loathing look, making Jodi fall out of her chair and Tyler call out her name.

Carmen's face pale as she muttered. "Oh my god, I was going to flirt with a gay guy?"

Tee just groaned and shoved her head into her hands as she muttered. "I can't believe you lot."

Lilly just shrugged and said. "I called it. But I do guess it means that he can't stay in a room with Ryan anyway."

"ENOUGH!"

Ryan did a double take for a minute.

He had expected that it to have been Sirena to crack and shout. He had wanted to see just how far he could have pushed the boy before he had snapped. This lot was enough to make a saint crack. Given enough time, Ryan knew taking them down that path of conversation would have led to this, but he would have expected instead of the silver blond to just be staring at him, that Sirena would have shouted.

Instead now it was Mai-Li who was looking between them all, frowning with disappointment. "What is wrong with all of you? The boy has just arrived this morning, not only are you treating him like he isn't even here, by the way you are talking!"

A slow sparkle began to rise in Sirena's eyes and Elektra gripped her hand tightly onto the pale boy's.

Ryan smirked from ear to ear, watching the slow build of a mask arming itself in Sirena as the silver blond lent forward slowly, his eyes piercing as they had been that morning, as vicious as they had been when he threatened Ryan on the bed, and now, so cool that they sent an adrenaline spiked dose of thrill through the brunette's blood and bones.

"They're just idiots. Ignore them." Elektra whispered. Her jaw tight as she kept glancing between Sirena and Ryan as she watched the two boy's lock eyes, seeming to be blocking out everything else even though their eyes were taking the smallest acknowledging glances around, taking the small details and adjusting themselves constantly to it.

Just like earlier.

"You're also promoting stereotypes! I thought that you were all so much better than this?! Did you think that maybe he didn't want his sexuality to be the first thing talked about?"  
"Well then maybe he shouldn't have worn that makeup." Tyler muttered, looking at his plate, turning pale though when he caught the glare of Elektra who stood up and slammed her hands down on either side of the boy, making him duck and stare down at the table, any where else but the glower which could have killed him should it have been permitted to.

 _You didn't take my warning._ Sirena's eyes seemed to say, as he tilted his head slightly.

"Maybe it's none of your bloody business whether or not he does wear make up!" Elektra shouted. "You damn idiot!"

 _What can I say. It just made the game sound all the more interesting._ Ryan smirked, tilting his head back slightly so his eyes caught in the light.

"You guys! Why didn't you say anything!" Carmen snapped at Tee and Lilly. The first of who still was massaging her forehead as she shook it in disbelief of just how the others in this place were. The later of who was now on the receiving end of Elektra's added wrath.

 _You really don't want to do this._ Sirena's glare pointed out behind the folds of it's mask to Ryan.  
 _Oh. But, I really do._ The brunette grinned.

"All I'm saying is." Tyler shrugged, still under the teeth gritted Elektra, staring at the table, fearful to raise his gaze. "Is it's weird for a guy to wear makeup...right?"

"Vogue seem to like make up. But not as much as Ryan does when it comes to my face. Aren't I right... _Rye-Rye_." Sirena purred.

Silence fell over the room.

Sirena's face twisted into a dazzling smile with a pearly sparkle as the boy's eyes glistened like bright stars.

"Ryan, back off now!" Elektra shouted.  
"What's with the shouting? What has gotten into you." Mai-Li frowned.

Ryan who had finally gotten what he wanted, couldn't have been more delighted if his plan had gone absolutely any other way. _Welcome back._ "Check mate." He smirked, making Sirena's eyes flare at the soft tone of his whisper.  
"The fact i'm interested in my own gender, is not why I spoke to Ryan. You see, if it was that fact, then I would go and speak to a guy, instead of..." Sirena's gaze slowly slid across Ryan smoothly, his voice as calm and soothing as it had been before as it shaped the oncoming insult. "Not just another-" _Little,_ his gaze whispered. "Boy." He stated.

Sirena slowly rose to his feet, looking around the table. Ryan could literally see the boy making note of everything. Anything. Carmen and her vanity. Lilly and her arrogance. Tee and her ability to be walked over. Jodi and her quick temper. Tyler and his status already as being looked out upon from the group.

But his eyes slowly slid back hungrily to Ryan. Something sparking through them.

Ryan rose from his seat, sliding over towards Sirena till he was grinning behind his mask, watching the same cold glimmer mirror into the other boy's. They were like they once had been again earlier. Slowly circling one another, their gazes locked onto each other and blacking away the rest of the world. _You let something slip._ Ryan's gaze whispered.  
 _A mistake I won't make again.  
So we're even._  
 _Oh honey._ Ryan could just imagine hearing the words as Sirena slowly shook his head ever so slightly, reading the boy's expression and body language as well as Ryan could read what the blond was giving him. _I don't play to get even. I warned you._

Just before he had been about to say something though, Elektra had both her hands on his shoulders and was steering him away, towards the stairs. "No." She said quietly under her breath, as Ryan took a step to the side, leaning against the cupboards and gazing past the light paint and over to Sirena as both held each other's gazes again.

Already Ryan was watching the boy's gaze become hardened again. The mad sparkle which gave those eyes their wild life, the same way they did Ryan's was fading. Replaced by the complete impassive and blank state as Sirena let out a small sigh. "You know you don't want this. This time around, I'll make sure they don't mess you up. This time I'll do what I should have done all those years back!"

He just missed out on Elektra whispering. "He's not doing this to you. Again."

Back at the table, most were quiet, not understanding the true extent of what they had just actually seen.

"Hang on... so if that means he only talked to Ryan... Does that mean that I'm unattractive to guys?" Tyler wondered.

Ryan only snarled under his breath in disgust at the stupidity of the rest of them.

No. He wouldn't go on like this. Being the only intelligent and 'real' human among these bunch of morons and pathetic idiots. He couldn't take it! No. This would mean there would have to be a bit of more careful planning, especially if he was going to try and make sure that he got away with this.

This game was going to be certainly a bit more difficult to play with Elektra around... no. To get his new game partner, he was going to have to even the playing board.

If he wanted this game to last instead of being over quickly, then he was going to have to figure out a way to get around the protective girl, make sure that Sirena didn't caught by anyone else seeing him hang out too much, and then be able to get a way in which both could get away absolutely innocently with whatever it is that they would use to play the game with.

A bright grin exploded across his face already in anticipation.

Elektra wanted to keep this boy, pure and kind... like the rest of these controlled zombies?

Ryan wouldn't let that happen. He would not see Sirena strung up with the rest of these puppets.

He would not let a talent like that go to waste. Not by a long mile.

Threat or no threat. Sirena would be playing this game with him.

And Ryan couldn't have been any more excited for it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi everyone! Thanks so much to** **Justice237 and CatsAndWhiskers for your reviews! ^_^** **I'm so glad you like the story! ^_^ There will certainly be a lot of Sirena reliving his life in the next few chapters, you won't have to worry about there being any shortage of that =) Thanks to everyone for the follows and favorite so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point.**

* * *

"Come on, you know you're better than this." Elektra whispered from the spot on her bed where Sirena was laid back against her in her embrace, staring up to the roof with the same blank eyes which the girl had come to know. His eyes moved across the dangling and bright LED lights which stood out in front of the girl's bed. The walls were painted a pale blue unlike the main wall behind the girl's bed and Sirena had to note to himself, that some things he guessed, never really changed.  
"I see you're still having your love affair with the colour blue?" The silver haired boy wondered.

It had been nearly a day now since the incident at the dinner table and all the while Sirena had been cooped up here inside Elektra's room. Of course there were worse places to be, god knows he had probably spent most of his time at them. But now that he was closed off from the others, as always most of the time now, it felt like a part of him was sleeping, deep inside caught in some kind of woven net.

It was like only being half alive. Ignoring such a large and important part of himself.

For those few minutes at the dinner table and earlier in that day with Ryan... oh god, it had almost been absolutely euphoric. It was like a rushed dose of adrenaline had been pouring through his body once again like it had always used to. The feeling that his skin was covered in tingles of electricity. Oh it had been the best feeling in the world! To once again let his natural instincts for survival that he had relied on for all those years on the street. To finally be able to acknowledge them again!

But then of course, his fun had to be crushed out!

Elektra just let out a small sigh and sighed, brushing her hair over her shoulder as she looked down at the boy. She pulled him closer and rested her chin on top of his head. "I was just doing it to protect you. You've done so well, I just don't want him ruining it for you! That's all. Plus, you know what would happen. It's just not worth it in the long run. You're so much better off now."  
"There goes my entertainment for the next eight months." The boy sighed, almost contently as Elektra reached over to the boy's bag, that she had grabbed out of Ryan's room when she had dragged the smaller boy up here. She had to resist letting a smug smile cross her face as she ran the brush through the boy's silver hair.  
"You have enough to keep you busy and focused anyway." She spoke with a strange softness that she didn't afford to many other people, but just like with most rules, there was an exception, Sirena was that exception.

But something caught the corner of Sirena's gaze as Elektra was focused on what she was doing.

His eyes glancing already to the small creak in the doorway and rolling slightly as a flash and glisten of something in the shadows had caught his gaze.

Of course Ryan wasn't that far away.

The kids had been given a lecture after Elektra's sudden departure, taking Sirena with her as she had stormed out. Mike had come in asking what all the noise had been about and only frowned, looking around at each of them. He had openly spoke of his disappointment and how he was let down, lecturing them, reminding each one of them how they had all felt on their first day there at the dumping ground.

While the others had all hung their heads in shame and gone to their rooms to figure out a way to reconcile on what they had done. Ryan had spent the entire of the night nearly up as he had been planning, with a smirk never leaving the confines of his face as he had just thought about the potential competition, the potential ally, the potential other game player.

And he thought that he may have just have figured out a way to get the boy's interest just long enough.

Sirena had given Ryan his own weapon against him.

It was a while though, waiting for Elektra to finally uncoil from the silver haired blond and smile, saying that she was just going to go and have a few words with Mike, before proceeding to finally leave. "I'm just going to go and ask about seeing what their decision on the arrangement was."  
 _I wouldn't bother if I were you._ A ear to ear grin split across Ryan's face.  
"Then I need to get you out of this room for a bit. You need to train anyway-"  
Sirena shot a glance towards the door before looking back at Elektra who fell quiet.  
"Oh, right, yeah sorry I forgot. I won't do that again."  
 _Clever boy. Keeping your cards to your chest, but you should never involve others in your life!_ Ryan had to stop himself from laughing as the game was already being subconsciously played by both boys.  
 _But that said... train for what?_ Ryan thought curiously.  
"I'll probably be about ten minutes, don't worry, I'll make sure to get you away from that little git. I'm not letting you go back to the way that it used to be. I promised you, I'm here to help this time." _  
Here to get in my way._

Sirena just sighed and nodded, resting his head back, Elektra gave a sad smile before walking out, not closing the door entirely behind her.

 _Took you long enough._ Ryan thought with a small snide snarl and side of a smile. _You want Sirena to be like the rest of them. You want him to be just another puppet. No. I'm not going to waste talent like his for your sake of expectation._ His eyes glowered after the girl. _If Sirena was going to be a puppet, then the one pulling the strings would be me._ His eyes moved slowly over to the bed where Sirena as laid out back, staring to the ceiling. _Such a talent shouldn't be caged._

It was the perfect victory for him! He would be able to get at Elektra by corrupting the one single person that she cared for, and he would get a new playmate in this game! It would be his finest moment! He would get exactly what it was that he wanted!

Sirena's threat was a faded whisper back in their bedroom, Ryan had felt the boy's words, but he also knew well enough that no one could give up the game that easy. _He must have heard Elektra coming and covered his tracks._ The brunette nodded with a smug smile, his eyes sparkling like two large diamonds. _Another weakness then it seems. Oh Sirena, poor game. It's so much easier to think when those little surprise tactics of yours aren't clouding people's thoughts, isn't it?_  
 _"I wanna hold 'em like they do in Texas, please. Fold 'em, let 'em, hit me, raise it, baby, stay with me. Love game intuition play the cards with Spades to start. And after he's been hooked I'll play the one that's on his heart."_

Ryan grinned as he slowly opened the door, sliding through and closing it behind himself.

He wasn't expecting it when two hands slammed onto the hard wood either side of his head and his gaze met with a vicious blue ones. "What the hell was that all about?!" Sirena snarled, glaring through the boy. "I warned you. I warned you that if you took me on that I would crush you." The boy's smooth voice, enunciated every syllable of the last few words. His gaze having enough fire behind it's mask to back him up.  
"Well Princess." Ryan smirked, his voice low and smooth, like Sirena's had been when the boy had first spoken to him with. "Who else would have then given you exactly what it is that you wanted."

Ryan turned in a flash and slammed Sirena back against the door, leaving the boy to for the first time be at a complete loss and shock as the blond stared at the dark smirk across Ryan's face when the brunette slammed his hands either side the blonde's head, while's Sirena's had fallen limp at his side, almost like they were pinned by some invisible force to the door.

Strangely though, unlike how Ryan thought, there was no sudden sparkle in Sirena's eyes this time, but only that of what resembled for a moment... fear.  
Unlike on the previous occasions when Ryan had fought back, the light which seemed to explode in Sirena's face just wasn't there.  
 _Interesting._ Ryan thought, tilting his head slightly as he watched a pale shade creep through the smaller boy's face.  
"Get off me right now, or you will be going out of that window." Sirena whispered.

Ryan's grip slackened and Sirena shoved him out the way, slowly making his way back to his bed, his face almost visibly reconstructing the blank mask that he wielded so very well, the traces of fear being shed like a snake would shed a skin. Only Sirena's eyes remained cold as the boy lightly dropped back onto the bed, Ryan slowly stalking up behind him till he took a seat on the edge of the mattress.

His eyes glanced over as Sirena plugged his headphones in and played the song loudly into his ears. Letting out a slight sigh, like a release of a valve as he did so.

Again, it didn't go unnoticed by Ryan's hungry gaze.

 _He covers his own weakness by outgoing using his main approach tactics which would otherwise imply they're his strong suits._ Ryan thought to himself, watching Sirena's eyes half open. They were locked onto him and once more Ryan could feel that mirror like aura go up between them.

 _I will break you._ He thought softly. _I will break your resolve. I will break all your patience. I will show you why I'm the king of this game._

He slowly climbed onto the bed smirking as Sirena quirked an eyebrow. Ryan's eyes glanced out the corner watching the boy slide his phone into the pocket of his jeans.

 _I will crush all those bars around you and bring out that nasty little beast inside of you. You gave me a taste of what it was like to play this game with another person. You're not taking that away from me now._ His thoughts purred as he slowly climbed over Sirena. The music in the boy's headphones growing more and more clear. _"_ _I'll get him hot, show him what I've got."_

Ryan smirked as he climbed over the slowly, pushing his knee between Sirena's legs so that the blond would completely captured when he slowly slid his fingers along the pale wrist and pinned Sirena's hand down to the pillow. "Playing nice for big sis I see?" Ryan grinned.  
"Oh, you'd be surprised just exactly what I'd do when I play nice." Sirena whispered, shocking Ryan and the theory that the brunette had leaning his head up slightly as once again that indescribably small distance was there between both boys.  
 _Keep trying to act, I know your weakness._ Ryan's eyes practically glowed with his hunger as he grinned from ear to ear. His second victory claimed in Sirena's one moment of distinct weakness. _You will be my toy. I know know how to get to you. I know how to use you._ _  
You think you do._ Sirena smirked, the power play between both boys growing as the game made itself more known to both of them. Ryan gritted his teeth slightly at the defiance and stubborn nature of the boy who seemed to be taking this further. Just how far was the blond willing to take this, just so he wouldn't be thought of as the weaker one out of the two of them!  
 _I should have expected you to put up a fight like this.  
You will never be able to control me. But I will have you wrapped around my little finger. _Sirena's growing confidence sparkled in his eyes with the first sign of the boy that Ryan wanted to see, coming out to play.  
"You didn't come back to our bedroom." Last night he purred, slowly reaching a hand back to dance along Sirena's leg, making the blond shudder slightly at the light touch and a glance of pink to blow across his cheeks. _Try and act as all confident as you want. I saw you. The way you just acted then. The anger in your eyes yesterday. It makes sense. You was angry at yourself. You were trying to hide it earlier. You're scared of being touched._ Ryan smirked. His fingers started moving towards Sirena's pocket. _Just stay distracted a bit longer Princess._ Ryan thought with a smug ambition.

Sirena's eyes widened slightly and the boy barred his teeth, his cheeks glistening with the glow from a blush.

The blond tilted his head slightly, leaning in closer, his slightly rouge lips teasingly close, so close that Ryan could feel the boy's cool breath slip over his own lips. The sweet smell of vanilla rushing from it. The smell of strawberries wafting from the boy's spikes of silver hair. The silver cold colour was as fierce as it's owner. "Interesting turn to the game." Sirena whispered, smirking and showing a little of his pearly teeth, while his eyes glistened with a fresh light.  
"Well, when you play chess by yourself for so long, you find that the game becomes a little one sided."  
"aw, adorable. You don't even realize that you're just another piece on the board!" Sirena laughed, tilting his back slightly as Ryan dipped his head down, the space between them both now impossible to distinguish nearly.  
"I can't stay away from you. You can't stay away from me." He whispered. "We're two kings on a chess board of pawns."  
"Except for the fact is that I'm not stupid!" Sirena barked.

The moment Ryan's hand had finally reached the blond's pocket where his phone had been, Sirena brought his knee up into Ryan's chest, raising his leg at a ninety degree angle, the boy having nearly completely kicked Ryan in the face, had the Brunette not pushed himself back slightly, but now rolled onto the floor, trying to catch his breath.

Sirena's legs may have been thin and a bit more bony than most, but that just meant that they were far more precise in their impact when brought to the brunette's chest. "You really think that you could use that against me!" The blond snapped, becoming the petulant one this time around as he glared down at the boy the floor. Taking his stance slowly. "You're playing a game you don't understand if you think that trying to touch me, will be like that Ryan." He snapped.

The brunette who was seething now and wheezing on the floor, had his eyes still hungrily locked on the blond. Behind the pain and the winded sudden surprise, he could feel that sickening spark of joy come from the fact that he was seeing Sirena bust. _Getting even... worth it._ He thought.  
"Answer me or I swear to god, you will be going out that window!" Sirena roared.  
"I thought that, maybe a pretty face would get that mask off you." Ryan wheezed, pulling his arms around his chest. "Don't worry Princess. I wouldn't have kissed you if my life bloody depended on it. I only wanted that phone." His eyes locked onto Sirena's pocket. "But it seems that the only way to get you distracted enough, is to make sure you was preoccupied." His eyes rolled over Sirena. "And while you seem very experienced in the department of a bed and making yourself look good on it. I don't share that."  
"You son of a bitch." Sirena whispered. The look of Ryan's anger and disbelief the previous day was now painted over his. The look of anger Ryan had fought off was bristling in those viciously cold eyes. "You never change Ryan!"  
"How would you know if I change? You've known me a day!"

Sirena bit down on his lip harshly at that, when finally the realization hit Ryan like a ton of bricks. "You know who I am... don't you?!" He shouted, this time it was Sirena's turn to take a smug step back as he sat on the bed, propping up a leg and grinning.  
"Don't tell me that you've gone and just forgot me? I normally like to leave a lasting impression." His eyes now nearly widened with the look of pure unadulterated rage. His teeth seething like those of an animal as the mask slipped completely free, showing such a look of intense rage and pain that Ryan flinched back. "AND THE SITUATION THAT YOU LEFT ME IN YOU FUCKING COWARD! YOU SHOULD REMEMBER! BECAUSE I CAN'T FORGET! I'LL NEVER FORGET!"  
 _This game has just become something else entirely._ Ryan frowned, slowly feeling the air creeping back into his lungs. _Who is this boy?  
_ "I'll make sure that in this game. You're crushed." Sirena whispered, his rage having broke through all other barriers that he had fought to keep up since he had first locked eyes on the brunette. He had never seen someone have such a pointed loathing at him before. Not in all his time here at Elm Tree prison. Not even with Tee, he had never had the girl look at him with such a vile look.

What had he done?

Hang on... that meant. That meant that from the moment Sirena had seen him, the blond had been keeping back this rage? That all of yesterday, when he had been faced with Ryan. Sirena had managed to keep this kind of intense emotion under lock? Something so bursting, so brilliant. Oh, that was how the game was supposed to be played! That was it! To hold back something so vicious! It was how the game should have always been played! That's how it had meant to be!

No. He had to fix this now. He couldn't lose his game mate.

Not now. Sirena had too much potential! NO! He wouldn't lose out now for his own unknowing mistake in the past.

"Listen, al'right. If it's money, I can easily just-"  
"SHUT IT!" The boy roared.

Here it was again.

Ryan's heart speeding away in his chest as both of their masks were ripped free and clear. His own startling fear bright in his eyes as the adrenaline coursed through his body without any restraint. Both players were currently showing their first full hand of the game.

Sirena's hand of aces and rage, over Ryan's royal flush and fear.

"You, pathetic little-" Sirena's anger suddenly slipped back and slammed shut on his face like a lock door being bolted and closed.

Ryan's eyes traced every ounce of the beautiful transformation that happened. Watching the sparkle of light leave Sirena's malicious eyes till the boy as blank as chalkboard which had been wiped clean. "One minute." He growled quietly, his voice still lingering with traces of the unleashed emotion as his arms were wrapped tightly around himself. "Get under the bed."  
"Excuse me?" Ryan whispered, still struck in awe and loving the way that the boy had worn his mask so expertly, now encasing obviously that bubbling rage so deep inside that Sirena himself must have been growing less and less aware of-

The blond kicked out sending Ryan across the floor, his leg having almost moved like a blur in it's sharp movement before Sirena shoved him sharply under the bed.

 _No..._ Ryan shoved a hand over his mouth to stop the sound of his gasping and whimpering from Sirena's striking kick had forced him to make. He held it back in his throat, as the door to the room slowly opened and Elektra half jogged in.

Ryan knew if he coughed at that moment, it wouldn't only just Sirena's game which was ended, but his too.

His plan had gone down in flames completely.

"What's with the yelling? Are you okay Sirena?" Elektra asked gently, rushing over to the boy.

Ryan made sure that every small movement was the barest that he could make till he managed to finally just about get a decent sight of the two through the hanging of the sheets and quilt on the bed. His eyes hungry for details as he looked over Sirena, the blond who still had his arms wrapped tightly around his torso, and his face turned around from the girl as he was still seemed unsure of himself slightly.

To watch such a show and struggle of emotion. To see Sirena mind almost visibly having to put up a war front to try and keep that mask of tranquility on through the seeming without end rage which he had just unleashed... it was the best show Ryan could ever hope for. His heart still hammering away in his chest as his own cool smile slid back onto his face. His eyes watering with the dire need to wheeze and cough from the kick and blows he had taken to his chest. He loved it. He knew that right now, this was down to them both. Who would give in first? Who would crack?!

A show like no other.

Sirena just turned with that blank look across his face, his fingers seemingly flexing out sporadically, flexing and making the noise of his knuckles sound like they were cracking with every slow movement. "Y-Yeah, sorry. Just stubbed my toe." The boy explained, moving almost like he had rehearsed it, under Elektra's waiting arm.  
 _Oh... you are good._ Ryan's grin exploded further as he watched Sirena feeding the girl exactly what she had wanted, distracting her from what she had wanted to know.  
"How did it go with Mike?" Sirena asked.  
"We're still... talking." Elektra sighed.  
 _Meaning Mike doesn't what him to move out of the room!_ Ryan thought in glee.  
"Don't worry. I'll make sure that he let's you move up here."  
 _Like hell, will I._ Ryan glared.  
"Anyway, that's enough of that for now. Come on, get changed. The others are going out for a bit, that means that you have a chance to train in some peace and quiet."

Sirena glared down at the floor for a moment before nodding.

"It's been so long since I've seen you train, it will be a nice change to make around here. We'll put on some nice music and then you can do what you need to, okay?"  
"Sure." Sirena's voice although was soft, was curt and to the point as he kicked away his jeans and shirt as he pulled out a skin tight black vest and a pair of fitted tight shorts from his bag.  
"Oh and you can leave your phone up here." Elektra said, offering a smile.  
"What."  
 _PERFECT!_ Ryan's thoughts roared.  
"No one else will come up here." Elektra, assured the boy. "They're pretty much too scared to."  
 _Except... for me._ Ryan smirked.

The brunette watched Sirena's eyes flash with that anger for a second as he turned away. He knew that Sirena couldn't refuse. If the blond refused, Elektra would become suspicious. If she found out that Ryan was here, then she would not let him near him. Ryan wanted to get nearer so that his playmate could play puppet master with him and the others, sure. But Sirena's eyes and anger hungered for something so much more simple than that.

Revenge after all, was why their game had been invented in the first place.

Sirena tapped away a few buttons quickly on the screen of the phone. "Okay." The blond said, his voice carrying the edge and hint of a growl to itself as he placed it down on a nearby table. "Let's do this then." His eyes lingered for a moment on Ryan with a glare before he swept out the room, dressing himself into the shorts and black vest as he went.  
"Aren't you going to turn your phone off?" Elektra asked.  
"No it's okay, I have a lockout timer on it anyway. It goes off after a minute or so, then I have a finger print and password code. A nice little app I got this morning." Sirena smirked, standing there for about thirty more seconds or so, acting as though he had lost something. Making Ryan painfully count down the seconds in his head to what amount of time he had left.

It wasn't until the door closed and Ryan was sure that he had heard them going down the stairs, far enough away that he rolled out from the bed, his eyes streaming with water from having to hold back his coughing and need to gasp for air, as he spluttered. _Twenty seconds._ He thought, grabbing his chest as he glared at the floor. _Damn it Sirena!_ His thoughts snarled.  
 _Ten seconds.  
Not enough time!  
_But even while he was in a rough state, he threw himself forward to the table, grabbing the phone quickly and looking at the screen.

 _King: Good luck._ Was written just as a preview of a text had appeared on it. _I'll see you tonight or this afternoon. Let me know when's best babe._

Ryan paused, looking over the preview for a minute, before the phone finally shut itself off.

Okay... who the hell was Sirena meeting?

Who the hell was this King?

And why the hell had he called Sirena babe?!


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi everyone! Thanks so much to** **Justice237,** **CatsAndWhiskers** **and CharlieSMarts12 for your reviews! ^_^** **I'm so glad you like the story! Oh god, you guys know how to make me smile don't you? ^_^ Thanks to everyone for the follows and favorite so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point.**

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Of course. Of course Sirena had given Ryan the slip after that.

The elusive blond had fled, leaving Ryan to sit by the window in the attic and even in his own room, before a few hours later, the boy had crept back into the house again. Ryan had thrown the boy a rope, the one that he had used to escape the first time, and neither had said anything to each other. For as soon as Sirena had climbed through the window and glanced out the corner of his eyes, he had launched through the open doorway like there had been no tomorrow!

Quite unlike what they had said about going into the garden. It seemed that Sirena had fled, grabbing a large black over jacket and a pair of slip on trousers.

A quick thought of move, Ryan had to give it to him. Not only to slip away from just Elektra but even him. Using the phone as a distraction? Clever. Very clever.

Once more the blond had planned his steps and movements, three or so steps ahead of Ryan. Placing the phone exactly where he had done: the table closest to the bed. To anyone else that would have been just a normal thing to do. But for people like Ryan and Sirena, there were never just any simple actions. Everything they did was evaluated. Everything they did was for a specific and precise purpose.

Ryan seemed to keep forgetting that. But this was still new to him as well.

He had grown so accustomed to the moronic puppets of Elm Tree, that he had forgotten what it was truly like to actually find a real challenge any more. To actually have to put effort in to sway someone. To actually work his way under someone's skin like a slow acting venom, slipping into their heart. With Sirena that seemed to be the way to do it from Ryan had seen.

The boy had a weakness for being touched. For what ever reason that was. Ryan didn't give to craps, why would he? Why would it matter to him? As long as it was his way to exploit and claw his way closer to Sirena, he would use it.

He had felt the way the blond had blushed under him, the way the boy's soft palms had grown slightly clammy. The way that a pink colour tone had dusted over Sirena's cheeks, being under the brunette. Sirena had been all but trembled under him as he had been becoming undone. Ryan had loved every moment of watching that mask been slowly skinned from Sirena's face and ripped free, before having to be forced back on so quickly.

It was the most sickeningly, delightful show that Ryan had seen in years.

But back to the blond's clever plan. Of course Sirena would have had one. He probably had it all figured out from the moment that Ryan had stepped into the room, or the moment Ryan had crawled over the boy on the bed. He should have known Sirena to be smarter than just the average blond. He underestimates Sirena, just as the moonlight haired boy had underestimated Ryan.

A mistake that neither were going to forget, or make again.

It was all relatively obvious now that Ryan sat down to think about what had happened yesterday. Sirena had chosen that table, because it had been close enough to the bed to look normal, that he wasn't going out of his way. But it was also away from the door that Ryan wouldn't have heard the front door slam when Sirena had fled with an escape or even Eletra's out cries of the boy's names when he had locked the door behind him.

It was also far enough away from the window that Ryan wouldn't have seen the blond run down the driveway.

Sirena was as sly as a cat with the claws to go with. He did everything on his own terms, making sure that whatever it was that he was doing, he was already three steps ahead of even himself. Always making sure that there was no possible way for him to be caught off guard. Something that Ryan doubted he would be able to do again for a while considering Sirena's new anger. That anger would keep the blond alerted like a daily dose of adrenaline.

More variables to consider. More attributes to factor in! Oh! This game was turning out to be the best that Ryan had played in years!  
Sirena! A mystery, wrapped in an enigma, tied in impossible and pushed into a pair of skinny jeans, which were just a bit too tight...

Ryan shook his head for a minute, frowning at himself before gazing back out with that cat like grin.

"You're just making this all the more fun for me." He purred with gleaming eyes as he walked along the row of chairs of the theater that he had followed Sirena to. No. The blond still had just about far too much to explain. He was not going to get away as easy as that.

Which is why when Sirena had fled again today, Ryan had simply slipped away under the shadows of the house and followed him.

"So, this is what training means." Ryan said smugly as he looked around him at the new surroundings.

He had been surprised when Sirena had ducked inside a shop, not too far away, pulling off his studded belt necklace and changing his clothes quickly into that white Poker Face shirt and a pair of jeans and shoes before going in the shop, pulling on a black almost trail of onyx jewel necklace as he had done so. His voice taking on a whole different, more higher class accent and approach as a man in a suit had walked over to him holding up a large black bag with a coat hanger.

Ryan wasn't able to catch much of the conversation since the glass of the double doors was so thick, but just as Sirena was coming out he managed to catch a small snippet. "The _King,_ sends his kindest regards, he hopes you will be able to retain a meeting together this afternoon?"  
"Oh, darling." Sirena purred, his voice softer and so much higher than before, so attuned to the situation that for a moment, Ryan could have sworn that he had heard it before from somewhere. "I wouldn't miss it for the world!" His pearly smile broke out. "Tell him, that I will be waiting for him in the usual place."  
 _King?_ Ryan glared as the name came to his mind. _Again? King? There's only two Kings in this game. Me and Sirena- Oh crap!_ He ducked his head as the blond snapped his gaze over in the direction that Ryan had been stood.

For a moment Ryan thought that maybe Sirena had seen him. The boys cold blue eyes skipped over the building and area where Ryan had been stood before locking onto a nearby ally way. His eyes lingering sadly for a moment. Glistening with the same spark of fear which they had when Ryan had pinned him against the door of Elektra's bedroom.

Then there was that deeper look.

For a moment like the passing of something as Ryan moved out of his crouch, gazing across slowly to the boy, staring so deeply into the blond that he was surprised Sirena hadn't felt his gaze pierce him.

Sirena's eyes glistened with a light sparkle. Not the kind that Ryan saw when the boy stepped into the light.

But only the faint graze of tears.

Like perfect tiny pearl drops of crystal clear sparkle.

Sirena shook his head slowly, seemingly realizing his moment of letting his mask down was now over. He just turned sharply on the spot and practically ran away.

Ryan hadn't let him get too far.

Now here he was again.

Sirena was agile and very much athletic, because by the fifteen minutes or so that he had spent running down the streets and through the various side alleys, Ryan was panting for his breath, glaring at the large theater in front of him, while Sirena seemed to have not even broken a sweat! How?! Was this boy some kind of machine or something!?

"It's so good to see you again."

Ryan snapped his head up from still catching his breath, pushing his hand over his ribs where a nasty bruise had mad itself known after Sirena had kicked him yesterday. Still though, it was bearable. He could manage it easily.

But as he gazed on he felt himself freeze.

Sirena had a wide face smile spread across himself.

No mask or faking about it.

It was complete and pure happiness as the boy slowly pulled the white shirt over his head and slipped out the jeans, revealing the black, skin tight vest beneath and the pair of work out shorts he had chosen.

Next to him, the owner of the voice had turned himself away slightly. His face covered by a black hood and his twig like frame, covered with a leather jacket about two sizes too big. He wore a pair of jeans which were torn at the knees, revealing the bony and pale form beneath. The boy's shoes were a pair of sleek black boots though that looked relatively new.

 _Strange... but who the hell is he?!_ Ryan glared viciously, taking a crouch behind the corner of a building nearby, still huffing slightly in attempts to regain his breath. His eyes narrowing at the hooded person with a hatred intent. _How the hell did he make Sirena smile like that?! He doesn't have the right to get to take Sirena's mask off! That remains for me! Not him._

"I always keep my word." Sirena purred with a sparkle in his eye and a smile. "You should know that more than most."  
"And the brat?"

That sparkle faded in Sirena's eyes as the boy's mask grew back on slowly.

Ryan smirked even deeper had it been possible.

"I come here to train, not to talk." Sirena muttered, his smile having abandoned him. "I had enough issue when I saw the alley... I don't want to think about this."  
"You will have to come to terms with it some day."  
"When that day comes, I will. But it's not today!"  
"Babe, it's okay to talk about it. You were-"

The boy fell silent as Sirena glared so deeply that the hooded boy flinched back.

Ryan laughed under his breath.

That was how he had followed Sirena inside the theater now.

Sirena had said nothing after that. He had just turned and walked into the building which Ryan had found out to be a theater.

Why would Sirena want to come here? The place was pretty much abandoned. Still a work in progress being made. The only people that were there were the workers who were in the front of the building, going over plans for the entrance, talking about money while scratching their fat arses. They made Ryan sick. Just another bunch of stupid pawns and puppets, blindly following what they had to do.

Ryan would never be like that.

It revolted him. Plain and simple.

It had been child's play sneaking past them and moving into the grand auditorium.

Red couches lined row and row around him. The dark walls were lined with golden lit torches of light. The fresh smell of the new material lingered in the air while above him, heavy lights and LED spotlight were pointed around at intervals.

Ryan had taken a spot away from the main stage; a raised platform of dark almost marble resembling surface which stretched across the contents of the hall. He had taken a path and found himself in one of the expensive overlooking view points, a large couch obviously fitted for some rich snob who would drink champagne and laugh while the play unfolded beneath them.

Those who would look like gods and think themselves the royals. They were but simply more pawns. Pawns to society and pawns to those who would control them for the benefit of such a luxurious life. They thought themselves of gods. They were but the maggots of a ruined piece. In the real world they were nothing.

Ryan glared down at the stage with a raised eyebrow as the path of his thoughts led him further and further to think about the situation when Sirena slowly moved out onto the stage and a heavy beat set in the stage.

These were the real kings. Ryan and Sirena. Two boys with a past so quiet that it could have been nothing but a forgotten whisper in a chapter of a book, that no one would ever read.

That's how he lived. Behind the curtain, pulling the ropes, but never the one in the front of the spotlight. That was how he played his game. A game of shadows.

His eyes now locked onto Sirena who had pulled a large black box across the stage with the aid of a few other boys.

It took Ryan a moment to realize that the entire box was full of water and stretched the actual width of the stage. The red curtains were flecked with a few droplets which had sloshed in the movement, but other than that it was bone dry.

Sirena smiled slightly at the water, slowly taking a cane with a glistening handle and thanking the hooded boy politely. His smile was a little strained and seemed a bit more put on than before, but the sparkle in his eyes was still so beautiful in it's revelation.

Ryan found himself leaning more and more forward against the railing as the sound kicked in loudly. The bass hit him like a punch in the gut as the song came on.

 _"Muh, Muh, Muh, Muh."_

Ryan raised eyebrow watching as Sirena took a stand in the long box of water, his foot ever so lightly tracing over the surface till he brought it up in a perfect right angle. That beautiful and amazing bright smile revealing itself from behind his mask as Sirena's hands slowly traced over the slightly exposed, pale lines of his hips. His hands tracing along and up his body slowly as in one striking move with the beginning verse and strike of a beat, he brought his leg up against bringing a trail of water with it, like it was attached to his skin before his arm slashed out, cutting through the water as he twirled.

Sirena's eyes sparkled with the water and his silver hair danced with the movement.

The strobe of cold lights moving over him made him look some what... not human. His moves were so precise and elegant. His eyes so beautiful and deep.

Ryan barely even noticed the thoughts crossing his mind as he watched the strobe of lights colour and turn around to cross over the water, making it look like that with every swift movement, Sirena was bringing and manipulating a rainbow of water.

 _"_ _I wanna hold 'em like they do in Texas, please."_ The boy let out a gentle sigh, stroking his cheek as his slim body was strobed by the light. _"hah."_ He swayed his hip slowly. Bringing the cane up with a quick slice and bringing an arc of water over himself before ducking under it.

 _"Fold 'em, let 'em, hit me, raise it, baby, stay with me"  
"I love it." _Voices of the back ground whispered.

 _"Love game intuition play the cards with Spades to start, a_ _nd after he's been hooked I'll play the one that's on his heart."_ Sirena's eyes were so cold, partially masked by his ability but now glistening as he slowly walked forward, a smirk placed on his face as he span the cane in his hand and threw it into the air before catching it. On the last word of the lyric, his eyes locked dead ahead of him as though he was looking at the audience, which wasn't there.

The lights began to fade.

Ryan blinked, looking around as the light seemed to begin to cut out. Filling about five points on the box next to Sirena who had taken the middle spot.  
 _No. The stage is his. Stay there. Please._ His thoughts pleaded, without him even noticing. He wanted Sirena thre. He wanted to see Sirena dominate the scene. To see that beautiful sparkle in the boy's eyes! To see that smile!  
To see the boy unmasked in a scene of his own.

Ryan was all but hypnotised by what was going on.

 _"_ _Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh-oh-e-oh-oh-oh"_ Sirena's voice purred with each word. _"_ _I'll get him hot, show him what I've got."_ He ducked back after bringing up to arcs of crossing water with his cane. The water forming a massive _'X'_ in front of him as he took a soft gasp and slowly brought his head back forward. His eyes glistened like two rare diamonds in the cold light.

 _"Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh-oh-e-oh-oh-oh,_ _I'll get him hot, show him what I've got."_

As the beats to the chorus came in, each spot light on either side faded out till Sirena was left by himself in the centre of the dark room.

Then came the chorus.

The spotlights exploded back to life with two boys on either side of Sirena. Each in a pair of shorts, like him, holding a cane and all moving as one single movement. The water coming up in their illuminated rainbow arches, as each had a smirk on their face.

 _No._ Ryan glared.

Sirena turned sharply, singing out the words with devoted love.

 _"Can't read my, can't read my. No he can't read my poker face."_

 _No._ Ryan glared foully out across the stage at the others who were dancing next to Sirena, getting closer to him. _It's Sirena's scene! It's his game! It belongs to him! Not you! I want to see that smile! Let me see that mask go!_

His knuckles turned white, gripping the metal bar of the balcony barrier so tight.

 _He's got me like nobody._ Ryan subconsciously thought.

Sirena sang through the chorus so brilliantly, obviously outlining himself as more flexible with flips through the arcs of the water. Cartwheeling and bring up a shine of water as the light highlighted his movements with beauty. He used everything to put himself out there! His body, the water, the light. He had everything under his control.

"I wanna roll with him, a hard pair we will be."  
 _Oh you know it._ Ryan thought.  
 _"A little gambling is fun when you're with me."  
Our games always will be. _Ryan smirked.

Sirena held up his hand like he was miming a gun and placed it slowly against his head as the others kicked up lines of water around him, just so lightly nearly skimming him with droplets as his eyes swam with something Ryan had yet to have noticed.  
Freedom. No care.

He held his hand like that against his head because he just didn't care.

That's when Ryan realised... Sirena didn't. He didn't care.

 _Oh my god, you're perfect._ His thoughts purred. _This game will be insane and perfect!_

 _"And baby when it's love, if its not rough it isn't fun, fun."_

Ryan paused at that, staring down at the beautiful mad boy who held his mask like a porcelain masquerade.

What truly laid beneath that mask?

Ryan frowned as for the first time, something cold was creeping through his chest and twisting his stomach.

But that's when it happened.

The boy turned, twisting his cane through the water and catching the back of Sirena's ankle making the blond hiss out in pain as in his mid twist, his only supported leg began to give out as he tumbled back, hitting his head hard off of the bottom of the box and being swallowed by the water for a second under the surface as he called out and twisted, thrashing in the water.

Ryan's eyes widened. "SIRENA!" He screamed out.

The moment his voice had called out, Sirena slammed his gaze up from the crouch he had forced himself into. His hair falling in a soaking wet set of locks over his eyes. Ryan only caught a glimpse of the livid hatred burning inside them.  
 _No- I didn't mean it to look like-_

"WELCOME TO THE CIRCUS!" Sirena bellowed, the music having cut out sharply with a scream and now came the worst.

All looked and slammed their gazes up onto Ryan as the room completely blacked out.

Fear split through Ryan as his eyes was met with a complete black canvas of an empty room. So black and dark that he couldn't have seen his own hand in front of his face had he have tried. The only thing that kept him from flinching back. No. He had to remain still. If he wondered a bit, he may trip and that would leave him vulnerable. He would be exposed. He had already heard the door behind click and lock suddenly with a bolt.

No... this was Sirena's game now.

This was-

His thoughts crashed as in a moment a cold blue light flashed for a few seconds, illuminating the room and the flash of a figure flying towards Ryan violently, his face coated in thick crimson and the boy's eyes wild with hatred as he was aimed and ready to strike.

Ryan held back the scream in his throat but still fell back as he stumbled to the chair. Hearing the crash of the figure land on the barrier railing but then the cold and soft chuckle of Sirena filling the entire room, bouncing off the walls around him.

It was like the boy was everywhere in the darkness.

Now having Ryan's heart beating with complete fear. Ryan was lost here. Trapped in the dark.

Sirena had been telling the truth yesterday. He would crush Ryan and this is how he would do it.

 _"Checkmate."_ A whisper echoed around the room.

Ryan screamed out this time, unable to help himself as the light flashed once again, in burst of a few seconds, revealing the figures launching towards him and making him crash back onto the couch, knocking it over and him scrambling behind it for cover, before the room fell completely dark and still again. Filling with Sirena's cold laughter.  
"What's your game!" Ryan shouted out.

His hands scrambled in the dark to right the couch, before he took a seat on it and gripping tightly onto the arm rest. _Remain still. Don't move. Sirena's game is one of fear. He's using fear to unravel you. He wants you open so he can crush you. You have to fight-  
_ "So _Rye-Rye_. What did you think of my performance?"

Ryan gasped out slightly as he felt two arms slink down to his chest and laced their fingers together over his heart. A pair of lips whispering softly into his ears with a cold and bitter anger, though it couldn't have been more silky in it's sound.

He could feel the droplets of water slowly sinking away from Sirena's hair and running down the brunettes neck. He could feel the cold of Sirena's breath as the boy's words brushed through Ryan's ears. Sirena's slim body was behind him, but Ryan could feel just how tense the blond was at having to use the one thing that he absolutely detested the most.  
"I think that your game is a lot more about show. It's a shame that you don't use it much more often. It would make playing with you, so much more entertaining."  
"Oh, I so, agree." Sirena purred, letting out a cold laughter which had Ryan shuddering slightly and quaking with trembles.

Slowly Sirena's words turned more colder, his arms slowly coming closer to Ryan's neck, dancing over the skin and threatening to move into a grip. "You're on my home territory now. You are trying to play against me where I'm most strongest?"  
"You wanted to know more about me, while we were playing. So I wanted to know more about you."

Ryan's hand shot up to Sirena's wrist and he felt the blond tense behind him in the dark. It was so difficult to try and get anything like this. In the pitch black like a blind man, he could only go by what he could feel. This was where Sirena was expert in the game. He used his body without care, he had no worries about trying to push his limits, but only when his game parter played back, that was when it became difficult for him. Sirena relied on his show promoting so much anxiety and fear into those he was going to crush, that he expected them to be unraveled and complete unhinged for when it came for him to deliver the final blow.

Sirena's fingers slowly flexed in the grip that Ryan had on them.

"If you answer my question correctly, I'll give you one question and I will answer honestly."  
"Our words mean nothing-"  
"But if you want me to continue playing the game, then you will have to trust me."  
"I don't do trust."  
"You don't do help." Sirena snarled back, his lips brushing slightly as they closed next to Ryan's neck.

Ryan felt the boy's cold and wet hair brush his neck as Sirena lowered his lips, trembling violently behind his cover as he was so close to someone. "Do you think you can do that? Answer correctly, and I promise, I may even bring you to come watch me train some time."  
 _He's really confident... He thinks I can't do it. He wouldn't put such high stakes if he wasn't so confident._ Ryan thought.

He hardly noticed that he had laced his fingers with Sirena's, in the dark.

"Okay. Ask your question." Ryan said gently, feeling the pale and cold comfort of Sirena's slender fingers, slightly comforting in the blind blackness which had enveloped him here.  
"What is it that I'm actually training for." Sirena whispered, placing a slender finger over Ryan's lips for a moment as he let out a cold and low laugh.  
"You're obviously training for-"  
 _Shut up._ His thoughts roared, stopping him mid sentence.

He could feel Sirena smirk against his neck as the boy rested his chin on Ryan's shoulder.

Both of there hands, subconsciously playing with each other's fingers. Dancing over each other's skin and lacing together without either of them actually even truly noticing.

 _No. It's too obvious to say he's training for theatre. No. Think about this._ He scolded himself, frowning slightly when Sirena tapped his free hand slowly onto Ryan's shoulder.  
 _"_ Tick, tock." He whispered softly, laughing coldly.

 _The way he moves. The way he addresses himself. The way he uses his body. He's theatrical! He uses his body as a way to play the game, to make people scared! He unnerve them!_

Ryan's chest flashed in pain from the bruises when Sirena's free hand danced over the place where he had kicked him.

 _But he's flexible... he moves certain ways... he's not a dancer. No. He's-_

"You're training for Gymnastics." Ryan whispered.

It was like dropping a bomb in the air as Sirena's body became so tense that Ryan almost flinched around to see if he was okay.

"Excuse me?" Sirena whispered.

Ryan's grip subconsciously tightened onto Sirena's hand to stop the boy from fleeing.

"You're training for gymnastics... you want to train for something big? You don't hold back. The theatre and the show is just a way for you to practice but hide what you truly want to do... You want-"  
"To be an Olympian." Sirena admitted quietly.

Ryan turned slowly, just watching the very faint outline he could see of Sirena's shinning silver hair. His cold eyes still glistening in the dark.

It was the first time that both boys were starting to look completely clear at each other.

"But you're trying to compensate for something." Ryan whispered, his eyes piercing under Sirena's skin, even if his hand was gentle in it's hold. "You hate me. You detest the very sight of me."  
"Then stay out of my way." Sirena suddenly snarled, ripping his hand back from Ryan.

That cold and twisting sick feeling swirled back into Ryan's gut as he stared at Sirena. His eyes slightly wide.

"L-Listen! I just need you to not hate me."  
"Excuse me?!" Sirena snapped.

A sudden flash in the dark indicated that he had moved away in a violent move of anger.

The sound of glass shattering nearby only confirmed to Ryan the boy's anger.

"I need you to not hate me! You're the only other one like me around here! We're the same!"  
"We're nothing alike!" Sirena roared.  
"We're the two kings. We play the game together!" Ryan insisted, slowly moving forward through the darkness, to try and find where the hidden boy was, but Sirena was agile, moving as quickly as he could away from any direction Ryan would attempt to walk in.  
"The game is the only thing that we have in common-"  
"So stop hating me! We can play the game! We can play the others! You and me! Just you and me-"  
"HEY! BABE! WHAT'S GOING ON!?"

Both paused as Ryan glared towards the oncoming voice from earlier.

The light flashed on making Ryan flinch back and rub his eyes to clear the pain of the sudden amount of light.

He turned his gaze slowly to the balcony where the silver blond was sat. His legs propped up and half dangling over the edge.

"Sirena?" Ryan frowned slightly, holding up his hands. "What are you doing?"  
"I'm coming, King." Sirena called over his shoulder, his eyes slowly moving back to glower at Ryan.  
 _Check mate to both of us._

Both seemed to hold that thought as they gazed at each other.

 _"You know that I'll always come, when you call."_ His eyes lingered on Ryan.

The statement remained difficult to discern who exactly it had been meant for.

 _Why does he call him babe._ Ryan thought with a snarl as he looked around for the hooded boy.

"Don't go. We're suppose to play this together. I need you to play this with me." Ryan closed his fists and took a step forward. His face a mask of desperation as he wanted to see what was beneath Sirena's mask.  
"Good bye." Sirena's eyes glowered. "Ryan."

With that the boy tilted back, falling through the air of the balcony.

"SIRENA!" Ryan screamed out.

Then came the darkness again, but it didn't stop Ryan from launching to the railings of the balcony. The image of Sirena's cold blue eyes seared into his mind.

When the light came back on, Ryan gazes down at the floor in horror, expecting there to be Sirena.

But there was only the fresh and neat clean isle.

No sign of Sirena.

He gazed around again.

No sign of anyone...

This game... he was alone.

He needed Sirena. He needed that theatrical, cold, beautiful eyed boy. He didn't want to be alone.

And he didn't want some other boy, some stupid stranger, to call Sirena babe!


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi everyone! Thanks so much to** **CatsAndWhiskers** **and CharlieSMarts12 for your reviews! ^_^** **I'm so glad you like the story! Oh god, you guys know how to make me smile don't you? ^_^ Thanks to everyone for the follows and favorite so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point. Warning, there are some triggers in this chapter and dark themes on Sirena's past.**

* * *

A week passed by and no one had seen or heard from Sirena, although Ryan just guessed that the boy must have been hiding away somewhere because Mike hadn't called in the police, and Elektra hadn't been tearing the place apart in an attempt to find out where he was. So Sirena was mainly hiding from Ryan and the others then? After all, he seemed to have enough reason to.

Ryan sat at the breakfast table, his fingers laced and his eyes and thoughts stuck in a pensive state as he seemed to be considering the variables of Sirena's movements. There was no point looking for him. Sirena's exit at the theater had just gone and proven that if the boy wanted to vanish, he could do just that without any care, but only a complete confidence. It was better not to chase him down, that way it would at least give the blond the space that he seemingly needed. Who knows, it may just be exactly what he needed to calm down enough to speak to Ryan again.

Sirena now officially owed him one question.

Ryan smirked slightly behind his thoughtful gaze.

One question and only one. Sirena was a secretive person. He wore his mask like he would wear a t-shirt; to highlight his attractiveness, to highlight his beauty, to make him slip through any situation, through the shadows or through people like a ghost. He had to be careful about how he approached Sirena with this question. If he went directly for the kill, Sirena could just give him a half answered question, or may even look for a way to get around it.

It was like a genie's wish.

Ryan would have to be far more than just careful about how he phrased what would he would say.

But-

"Morning, _Rye-Rye."_

Ryan snapped his head up, hope glistening behind his eyes at the nickname.

Only to then let his own mask attached itself like a brand of burning hot molten metal across his face as he glowered at Carmen and Lilly who were snickering slightly. Their eyes glistened with amusement, while Tee behind them, just rolled her eyes and sighed, offering Ryan a half hearted smile before taking their seats.

As usual, Carmen was adorned in as much bright pink as she could possibly find. Her face painted and coated with makeup.

 _Sirena pulls it off better._ Ryan thought snidely in the back of his head.

Lilly had her hair pulled back in a pony tail, letting it fall behind her back. She wore a purple jacket and white shirt with a simple pair of jeans. Like Tee who had an outfit to match, though her preferred colour was blue.

"Get lost, will you." Ryan muttered, still pondering too much in his thoughts to care. "And lay off the nickname." He warned quietly, his eyes glowering for a second, making the three girls pause before they casually muttered.  
"Still no sign of that hottie?" Carmen asked, her hand brushing through her hair self consciously.  
"Carmen, you do realize he's gay don't you." Tee asked.  
"And taken." Lilly added.  
"What?!" Ryan snarled, glaring over, his mask coming free slightly as his eyes glowered so deeply into the three that their eyes widened with shock at the boy's outburst.  
"By you... it was a joke." Lilly rose an eyebrow, her eyes piercing into Ryan, then backing down like the lower dog in the pack that she was.  
"Sod off."  
"Someone's moody today." Carmen muttered, rolling her eyes. "Besides, I can still like him. Who's says I can't? He's hot! Have you seen him!" She exclaimed with a dramatic sigh, slightly fanning her face and make Ryan nearly curl his lip up in disgust at her.  
 _Idiots. All of you. Pathetic idiots. When I've got Sirena. The first thing I will do is make sure that I crush you three first._ His eyes locked onto each of them, that cold smirk threatening to burst free before he went back to his empty gaze and deep ponder of thoughts.  
"Plus... it's a weird name anyway; Sirena." Tee said quietly, her own thoughtful frown free on her puppet face.  
 _It's a nice name._ Ryan thought in the back of the swirling mess which were his thoughts at that moment.  
"Yeah. ( _Sir-eh-nah)_." Lilly struggled to pronounce it.  
"It's Romanian." Tee nodded. "But..."  
"But what?" Ryan looked up now, catching Tee's gaze as the girl frowned thoughtfully. Tilting his head slightly his eyes moved through her, the same thing that he always did when he was with someone else and talking directly to them. Look into their eyes, so deeply that they feel that quiet and unnerving move. For a lot of people it was hard to be looked directly in the eye for even a short amount of time.

Tee sighed. "It's just strange what it translates as... A strange name in general, but when you consider-"  
"Translation." Ryan stated, his impatience creeping very slightly into his voice as he looked at the girl.  
"Just take the ' _A'_ off the end and that's the word it translates into." Tee shrugged.

 _Siren._ Ryan thought. His mind reeling back to the images of yesterday and the thoughts of Sirena's behavior. The way the boy always seemed to act as though he was on a stage.

 _Siren...? Who would name their kid that?_

Ryan had some understanding of Sirens. Creatures of great beauty who would lure sailors to their death.

Sounded quite accurate. After all, that was the game, minus the murder. To crush someone completely.

 _The alley way._

He had no idea where that thought sprang from, maybe it was just because of his recollection of yesterdays events.  
 _King. Sirena. The theater._

King must have been waiting by close for the blond? Maybe he had caught Sirena from the fall? Probably. That hooded boy was just yet another variable for Ryan to have to consider in the game. He could have almost have literally seen the puppet strings from both Sirena and that boy. But what those strings were, would make it far much more harder for Ryan to slash apart.

But there had been that moment again. The same moment over and over which kept lingering in Ryan's thoughts.

When Sirena had been at the alleyway entrance. Those beautiful blue orbs, painted with tears and sparkles of crystal.

Actually... Ryan had been by that alley before... a long time ago.

He frowned deeply to himself.

He remembered that night... it had been when-

That's when it finally clicked.

Why Sirena doesn't like being touched... the alley way... Sirena's hatred of Ryan-

His eyes widened slowly as a sickening and dark cold twist violently churned in his stomach. His face paled and Tee frowned to herself staring on watching as almost all the colour was pulled out of Ryan's face. "Uh, Ryan? Are you okay-"

But the brunette only stood up so violently that he nearly completely knocked his chair over, before he launched away, sprinting up the stairs. His hand shot to his mouth as he could feel his stomach churning as violently as the memories in his thoughts.

Elektra frowned in the hallway as Ryan sprinted past her, almost doing a double take till the brunette slammed the door to the toilet close behind him and vomited the contents of his stomach into the toilet, gagging and retching.

A knock on the door sounded loudly as Elektra called out his name, but he didn't say anything. He wouldn't have even if he could. His grip on both himself and the side of the toilet was as weak as his hold on himself at that moment. _Sirena is- He was-_

He ducked down his head, coughing and spluttering as another wave of intense nausea nearly made him pass out.

Elektra gave up banging on the door, her voice fading from calling out Ryan's name slowly. _Big surprise._ His thoughts muttered to himself. _I don't want the anyway! I don't want them near me!  
But you've put yourself into this situation. _His thoughts whispered back.  
 _I was a kid! I didn't know-  
_ _The past always has repercussions. Even for you.  
I WAS A KID!  
And yet, here it has come to bite you._

Time seemed to pass so differently for him right then. Seconds felt like minutes, and the half an hour or so that fled by felt like days. Him sat there by the toilet, his head resting against the wall as he had tried to push himself away. To try and escape from what had come full circle around him.

Sirena... Sirena was that boy! That night by the alley way- He was the boy that-

"Ryan?" A soft voice whispered in the dark of the bathroom.

Ryan's head rested back against the cold turquoise walls, his bare feet feeling the harsh cold of the tile floor beneath him. He had shed his jacket when he had felt like his chest had been suffocating him, but he still tugged at the collar of his t-shirt. He was pale and clammy, not with fever, but only with his mask being shed and the truth hitting him.

He had kept the light off, his vision had been swimming enough.

But now in the dark and barely lit room, he could still see those two orbs of cold blue from the darkness as the silver blond hair almost seemed to glow like the moon.

"Sirena." Ryan whispered, his eyes widening.

His own tears came to his eyes as the brunette looked at the other boy. There he was. The sign of a part of Ryan's past. One of the worst days of his life which Ryan wished he could forget. But here it was. Sirena. Wrapped up and delivered to him, a big and the most harsh reminder of Ryan's past which he would never be able to get rid of.

Ryan was crying. He was actually crying. Like Sirena in the blond's weakest moment, his mask was now coming undone, revealing almost the boy from all those years ago. The tears which he had promised he would never let escape him, once again now crawled down his cheeks so very slowly. His eyes full of the past and his memories of the one evening he wished he would never have to free from the cage of history from his mind.

Had Elektra sent him? Maybe after the girl had seen that Ryan wasn't answering the door, maybe she had asked Sirena to come and find him?

"So." The blond said softly, his eyes not usually their sparkly, glistening self when he had his mask on, but now labored and tired. Heavy with anger which he was trying to hold back for the sake of Ryan.

He crouched slowly next to the brunette when Ryan had to vomit again, coughing into the toilet. All the while, Sirena just hushed him softly, reaching out and running his hands through Ryan's hair slowly, almost with a caress as the boy whispered. "Hey, it's okay. Come on, just slow down you're breathing. You're much better than this."  
"But you're-"  
"I know." Sirena sighed. His hand gently moving through Ryan's short lines of hair, his fingers massaging the boy's forehead with a slow and soft care. His eyes sad and looking like he was burdening the weight of the sky on his shoulders, but still he crouched there, moving his hand to occasionally comfort Ryan by patting his back, helping the boy to clear himself out.

For ten or so more minutes that's how it remained, till Ryan groaned slightly and sat back in his crouch. His mask having fallen and smashed onto the floor had it had been visible. He was as bare as a naked person would be at this point. He was exposed. He was completely weak at this time in the game. Heck, he could have been without clothes and he still would have been less exposed than he was now under Sirena's gaze as the blond looked at him.

Both remembering that night in the alleyway with a precision that no other human probably could without having gone through it.

"They didn't-"  
"Oh they did." Sirena stated. His eyes glaring now as the boy ran a hand through his own hair.

His palms wiping across his eyes in a flash, not showing Ryan the tears which had been forming.

Ryan just lent back against the wall as Sirena stood, opening the windows but keeping the light in the room off. His gaze lingering on Ryan in the long and great moments of silence that stayed between the two. Both looking at each other now with a more clarified view. Even after a week, Ryan could still feel that bond. That need for Sirena to be next to him, to play the game! Screw who ever that King was.

Sirena belonged to Ryan!

"I'm sorry." Ryan whispered, gasping as his voice began to trail off. Sirena just stood there above him, looking down at him with anger laced with more hurt than the boy could mask. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Ryan whispered over and over, grabbing his shirt as his chest stung violently, his breath coming out in shorter bursts.

Sirena crouched in front of him as Ryan's panic attack of mad rambles began to go forward.

The brunette kept speaking the words, over and over, unable to stop himself as his mind was being crushed by the memory of what he had seen.

Sirena sat there, watching and letting Ryan deteriorate as the boy's breathing was growing more and more difficult. In the blond's eyes, he was just watching the coward slowly rip apart, crash and burnt. He was watching to the point that Ryan collapsed on his side, unable to get any air into his lungs so that the brunette was heaving for any oxygen that he could get, while he was still trying to get the words out.

Sirena just watched, further and further. Waiting.

It wasn't until the point where Ryan's eyes were closing and the boy nearly passed out, did Sirena lean forward and slowly sit the boy up. His hands resting on either side of Ryan's face with a cruel hatred possessed in his eyes.

He had been waiting.

Waiting for Ryan to be crushed with as much pain as possible. For the boy's mind to rip him apart from the inside and nearly destroy him on the outside.  
 _He would have left me to pass out._ Ryan thought. His fear growing as he knew at that moment Sirena would have left him there. The boy would have left him there completely. Had Ryan stopped breathing, Sirena would have just left him there to suffer in pain. The hatred in those eyes was without equal. Both boy's were unmasked completely in front of each other now. Sirena lost in the want of his hatred and the need of his revenge and Ryan destroyed by the fact that his past had now come back to him in the worst shape it could have.  
 _You left him in worse._ His thoughts whispered back.

"Easy now." Sirena whispered, his free eyes now more weighed down by sadness and pain than the anger, looked over Ryan with intense pity. His cold fingers made Ryan shudder slightly as the boy whimpered in the back of his throat, still unable to get a decent amount of oxygen into his lungs. "You finally remembered, huh?" Sirena asked gently. "Well there will be time to address that, for now, just breath."  
"C-Can't, c-chest-"

In one swift moment, Sirena swiped the boy's shirt over his head and Ryan gasped slightly, hearing the sound of the cold tap next to him turn on while the air itself, roamed over his clammy skin. His own arm wound around his chest protectively where the bruises from Sirena's kick still shined painfully.

Ryan wasn't exactly the most toned boy, but he didn't care. He felt more exposed with Sirena seeing him cry and feel weak than he did about the boy seeing him shirtless.

Sirena opened the window a bit further and left Ryan to heave and try to breath through what little oxygen that he could. "I'm sorry." He whispered again, coughing as the words came out like a pathetic squeak. "B-But I can't b-breathe-"

He gasped as an ice cold soaking hand, pushed down lightly on his bruises.

And a pair of lips landed on his own, making him blush crimson in his cheeks while Sirena slowly fed oxygen into the boy's mouth. Sirena parted their lips only slightly, to take small breathe's before feeding them back into Ryan.

When he pulled back, Ryan stared after him slowly. His hand wanting to reach up and touch his lips. "Y-You just."  
"It's funny how the mind works, isn't it." Sirena whispered, resting his hand on Ryan's cheek while gently and comfortingly rubbing the boy's scalp and moving through his locks of hair. "The surprise and shock of my cold hand, against your chest, the pain from the bruises, all that and it seemed to have distracted and surprised you out of the panic attacked." Sirena shook his head slightly. "It used to be what worked for me after..." The boy stopped himself mid word. For the first time Ryan had ever seen, the boy had stumbled over his own words.  
"You kissed me." Ryan whispered.  
"If I had kissed you, you would know about it." Sirena frowned, that spark of anger returning back with a fierce roar. "Besides. You're the last person on this earth that I would kiss."

Ryan flinched back slightly and Sirena sighed.

"We're all human Ryan." He said softly, reaching over to the sink and grabbing a wet cloth. "Me and you are different from the others." He shrugged. "Yeah. We think differently, we've been through more than they could ever have."  
Ryan looked down slowly, for the first time in his life, guilt and shame was coursing through his blood.  
"The difference between me and you is, that I'm always in the game. What happened to me... what you left me in." His eyes pierced into the boy. "I'm never out of the game now. Because the moment that I stop playing, I feel like there's nothing more I want to do than just lay down and die... like that night."

That night... that cursed fucking night.

The memory was hazy for how long that Ryan had tried to keep it crushed in his mind. But essentially, the fundamentals of it remained.

Ryan had been about ten at the time. Just stuck in the hell of another damn foster home. He had been putting up with the idiots all day, playing with them, making them turn against each other till they had been all but in a riot!

He had been walking down the street in the dark after having escaped through his window, to get some peace instead of the chaotic horror which he had unleashed inside that home. Not even those in charge were seemingly able at that moment to calm everything down. They had just been going around, trying to break apart all those who had been launching at each other, all but tearing one another into pieces and ripping them from limb to limb.

He had smirked to the diamond lit star sky above him with such a beautiful and unrelenting pride at himself. It had been some of his most dazzling and finest work. To all but have them breaking down in rage and tears. Having the grand scale of not one, but nearly all of them going mad.

He was used to wondering the streets in the dark. It wasn't as though it was something new to him. Besides, he didn't like to hang around with those idiots. It was just another reminder to him of why he was alone. Solitude was his curse and his freedom. To be outside and watch those in the inside. He was outside the boundaries of expectation. He had thought for a while that maybe that had been a bad thing? Why was he to be shoved outside?

But then he had learnt that it was the greatest gift that life could give him.

To hold himself and control himself in ways which no one else could! He could hide his emotions and whisper into the ears of the others. His words were like a corrupting virus which could ultimately destroy others. He had all the power. He was in control. He was the master! The puppeteer! He could do anything he wanted!

But back to the story.

He had been wondering the street, so full and smug with himself. His smile splitting his face without any way of being able to control it! The beauty of the art he had done to destroy those idiots had been glorious!

But the smile soon faded quickly when an arm roughly grabbed him and pulled him into an alley just near some fancy clothing store. He hadn't been paying much attention to where he was. The streets were normally abandoned by this point in the night.

But now he was pinned back against the wall of an alley, his arms and wrists slammed above his head while the smirking face of some tanned skin boy glistened, while a pair of dark brown eyes glowered at Ryan. The kid looked about, Twenty? Mate late nineteen? Either way, he was strong and his eyes were painted with madness and a hunger Ryan couldn't recognize.

"Look at this?" The boy grinned, over to another older boy next to him who was hooded and had a look in his eyes very much familiar to his friend's.

Ryan pale. His heart speeding up violently.

"Some pretty little thing wondering the street out here alone. Where's your mommy little boy?" The thug smirked.  
Ryan just bit his lip, watching as the boy just let out a laugh.  
"All by yourself?"

His eyes narrowed.

His friend smirked.

"This just makes all of this so much easier-"  
"HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

Ryan snapped his head down the alley where from the shadows, a small figure was launching forward, running and sprinting with a speed most other kids wouldn't have, but only some of the stronger athlete trainers. He couldn't see much of the boy, only the faint shine of platinum hair under a pitch black hood, and some lightly pale skin of the boy's fist as he launched closer.

The boy who had been pinning Ryan was the first to go staggering back when the new boy punched the thug square in the jaw.

The boy twirled on the light of his heel, recovering from the shock in his weak fists as the bony figure pulled his now damaged and maybe fractured fist close to his chest.  
 _He must have put some hell of a force behind that punch._ Ryan stared in disbelief, watching as the kid barked at him. Shock filling him and sending his thoughts wild as he pulled a mask over his face, trying to calm himself.  
"HEY!" The small kid snapped. "I said, did they do anything to you!"  
"N-No." Ryan shook his head slowly.

The new hooded boy turned his head back slowly. Pulling on his torn jacket which had slopped over his pale shoulder, revealing the weak and frail structure of the boy.

He looked as though he hadn't eaten properly in weeks!

The two thugs just glared with a vile look. "Listen Rose. Just because you're Persephone's pet, doesn't mean you can fuck around with our business!"  
"Mamma, told you we don't do this! We're a family!" The boy shouted.

Ryan guessed the boy was maybe the same age as him? Ten? Maybe nine?

"WE DON'T DO THIS! I WON'T LET YOU DO THIS TO OUR FAMILY! THIS IS OUR TURF! YOU KNOW THE LAWS!"  
"Then if we can't go for him."

Ryan barely had time to call out as the thugs launched forward and smashed the small frail boy into the wall, making him scream out as they tore away his jacket and hood from his frail and small body.

"We'll just take you." The thug whispered.

Ryan took one look as pale blue eyes, which were drowning in fear. The boy's skin was pale and his hair shined like moonlight in the blackness of the night.

But the thugs spared no time in getting down to what they wanted.

"Look at you. Persephone's Rose. Just like some enticing little Siren... well lucky for you. Tonight I'm going to give you your career for your life." The thug smirked.

"Help me!" The young boy screamed at Ryan as the thugs went about tearing his clothes off and laughing as the young boy was helplessly pinned. "PLEASE!" He screamed. "HELP ME! HELP ME!" He roared.

There was two tall thugs. What could Ryan do!? He couldn't manipulate them?! If he stayed... would they do it to him too?

"PLEASE!" The boy screamed so hard that Ryan thought the boy may have made his throat bleed, but the young boy was silenced as his own boxers were shoved in his mouth as a gag.

Ryan turned, fear dominant in his eyes.

"Run along kid." The thug laughed. "You got off lucky tonight. You tell anyone about this? You will be hunted down."

But even so, with his back turned.

Ryan still heard the strangled scream explode out the boy as he fled down the streets.

The memory was as painful to recall as it had been to live back then.

"They raped me that night." Sirena whispered. "They raped me. Beat me..." The boy sighed, slowly pulling off his shirt to expose his pale back where after he wiped away some of the cover up, revealed deep bulging scars. "Then they marked me."

 _ **ROSE**_

Ryan turned his head away, staring at the mark and scars.

"I went to the police, by myself." Sirena said quietly, his eyes labored with the pain of his history.

Before hatred flared through them like an explosion.

"But because of my living at the time and my name, the police wouldn't investigate it. Especially not without an eyewitness to the crime."

Ryan gulped, his eyes wide and his heart labored with fear.

"I didn't-"  
"The police came to your care home!" Sirena snarled. "I watched them! I saw you! I saw what you did! I will never forget it. So don't lie to me!" He growled, lowering himself to Ryan's height.  
Ryan stared on.  
When the police had came, he had said he didn't know anything about it.

Both the fear of those thugs and the fear of being seen publicly in a trial... no. It would have exposed him too much.

So he had lied and said nothing.

"After that. Word got around." Sirena whispered, slowly standing and walking around the bathroom, throwing Ryan's shirt back to him. "I became the target for many and on more than one occasion, they succeeded. I saved you and then effectively got myself good as killed!" He snarled. "And look at what I saved! I saved a worthless, selfish coward! And in the process, I became a heartless, manipulative, two faced fake!" The boy roared.

Once more he lowered himself down to Ryan's height and level.

In more ways than one.

"I thought that I was saving a scared boy. I saved you... and destroyed myself in the process."  
"We're the same." Ryan growled back. Slowly sitting up, his arms trembling, but his mask slowly curling back onto his face. "You have to see, what we are- we're given a gift!"  
"I WAS RAPED!" Sirena snarled into the boy's face. "I was raped and could tell no one! I was left naked on an alley way floor with nothing but only a new mark and a reminder of who I will always be! I clawed my way up after that. But that's all I'll ever be now. What happened to me, destroyed me! If I stop with this-" He indicated to the cold anger in his face. "I have nothing! I can't stand it-"

Now it was Sirena's turn to start rambling and crying.

"I- I thought I was helping you!" He whispered, his voice breaking. "I thought that I may have actually done something worthwhile in my pathetic, stupid life! But all I did was destroy it! I became a monster!" He screamed into Ryan's face.

The brunette only did what the first thought in his mind told him to do at that point.

He slammed his arms around Sirena and pulled the boy close, so his blond head was buried against Ryan's chest and the brunette could rest his chin on the soft spikes of silver hair. "Look at what I've become! I'm nothing! I will never be anything! Nothing but this monster who has to hate people to live!"  
"S-Shush now." Ryan whispered. Frowning to himself as comfort was normally not something that he would allow himself to express without an arterial motive behind it.

With Sirena in his arms, that slow churning cold sensation was tight in his stomach and chest again. He could feel Sirena sob and cry against the exposed of his chest but he didn't care. For the first time it felt like something else was there behind his mask. His fingers crept into Sirena's hair, slowly replicating what the boy had done for him. His eyes gazed down, watching the boy over turned and broken in their memories.

Ryan sighed and closed his eyes.

They stayed like that in the silence for half an hour before Ryan realized that Sirena had cried himself to sleep in Ryan's arms. The blond's tears had run down Ryan's chest and across the bruises which now at least felt a bit more bearable after having finally being acknowledged. The blond whimpered slightly in his sleep, alerting Ryan immediately as the brunette hushed him and gently ran his fingers through the boy's hair. "Shush, it's okay. Those puppets can't hurt you now." He whispered softly, over and over.

When Sirena had stopped whimpering, Ryan just laid back, resting against the wall as he pulled the smaller boy closer, so Sirena could rest his head a bit easier against the brunette. "I don't want to crush you in the game." Ryan whispered softly. "I want you to play it with me. But from now on... I'll make sure those puppets don't touch you."

He stared for a bit longer, not realizing his eyes were becoming heavy with exhaustion from the emotion outburst and fractures of mask both boys had just experienced.

"You're not a monster... you're my angel." Ryan whispered, half asleep, not knowing what he was saying. "But if you think you're a monster... then yo-you're."

He yawned.

"Y-You're my monster."

With that, he joined Sirena in the deep slumber.

The memories which haunted both boy's seemed so far away as they both cradled in the comfort that they would only feel from each other, outside the world they perceived as a show of puppets on strings.


	8. Chapter 8

**Two updates in one day? Not bad eh? Thanks to** **Justice237 for your review! I hope you're doing okay! Big hugs!** **^_^ Thanks to everyone for the follows and favorite so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point.**

* * *

Sunlight slowly filtered into the quiet room as Ryan groaned slightly, his arms encasing more tightly around the soft object still resting on his chest. His pink tinged eyes flickered open for a moment before slamming shut and a frown growing across his features. The sunlight hit his eyes lightly and he groaned, trying to shield himself and what was in his arms away from it so that they could go back to the peace of slumber. "Who left the bloody curtains open." He muttered.

That's when he finally paused as his mind kicked into gear.

His eyes slowly opened hazily, blinking away the blurriness while his hand delicately rubbed away what ever sleep was left in his eyes. He yawned opened and felt a fresh breath that he had finally been waiting for, rush into his lungs. There was a faint burn when he did it, but not as drastically painful as it had been earlier.

But most importantly, when his mind was finally clear enough, he managed to look down.

"Sirena?" He asked quietly.

His arms were wrapped tightly around the spare pillow on Sirena's bed.

No sign of the blond...

In fact. He wasn't even actually still in the bathroom!

He looked around to the familiarity of his room; the soft painted walls, the large windows, the posters he had put up and around his bed, his draws full of his clothes, shirts, jeans and boxers, while everything else he needed was locked away safely.

But looking across the room, he felt a sense of something hit him in the stomach at the empty state.

The bed was free of any sheets now. Sirena's belongings he hadn't come to grab from Ryan's room, which the brunette had folded and cleaned before putting into a neat pile, were now completely gone.

 _So Mike changed his mind then._ Ryan glared across the room, slowly easing himself up before he finally took notice of himself.

Sirena must have carried him in here. Ryan's chest where the bruises were deepest, the brunette could feel some kind of hot healing agent against his skin. It smelt like Deep Heat. But it was enclosed around a few lines of cotton bandages. Honestly, it felt so good against the painful bruises and his aching chest. The bandages were tied up with a nice and neat large bow.

 _Sirena._ Ryan thought with a small sigh, staring out across the room.

This is what the game was now. He and Sirena had both just lost some major pieces. Effectively having checkmated each other into complete end of the game. It meant one of two things.

They would either now play the game clearly with each other. After all, both had barely anything left to hide from the other. They had exposed each other so well, they may as well have just surrendered to one another.

Or the other option which now sent spindles of anxiety, unraveling through Ryan. The game between them would be ended and neither would see the other again.

Ryan couldn't accept that. He couldn't go back to the solitude of playing the game alone now that Sirena had given him a glimpse of what it was like to truly get under the skin and the mask, to truly play the game with such risks and conditions. The game was a drug for both of them. Sirena having been the actual one to admit it.

The blond have to live in the game. Ryan understood that now. Sirena wasn't able to live without staying in the game. When he wasn't the sparkling eyed king, that Ryan craved for, the boy was a walking corpse. The brunette could see it so far more clearly now. When they had first met and Sirena had been fighting that urge. When they had been in the kitchen and Ryan had coaxed him into it. When Sirena had stood at that alley and stared at the spot where he had been Raped.

Ryan pulled an arm around his bandaged chest and shuddered as that memory chased through him.

Sirena... He had been marked by those bastards. Ryan's King had been hurt and attacked and he had lied to cover his own skin... while Sirena's had been cut open and sliced.

The image of the word _**ROSE**_ was as engraved into Ryan's mind as it was into the lower of Sirena's back.

Ryan winced at the image, reaching over for the shirt which had been laid over his chest, while he kicked away the blanket which he had been covered with.

Sirena had tucked him in to bed?

A small smile edged onto the side of his face at that.

Then a small laugh slowly slipped out as he looked over at the pillow.

What was going on? What was this sickening tight twist in his stomach whenever he thought about Sirena?

It wasn't guilt... though there was plenty of that now as Ryan laid back and stared up at the ceiling. His eyes scraping over every detail that was there available to him.

"So sleeping beauty finally awakes."

Ryan looked up to see Elektra standing in the doorway. Her eyes piercing into Ryan with a glower like no other. Her hatred was as easy to read as ink was on paper. Elektra was an open book of turmoil, anger and bitter hatred. Had she a mask, then she may have just been like Sirena. But Ryan guessed if it was true that the two of them were siblings, which he highly doubted, then it seemed that Sirena had inherited both the talent of appearance and the intellect of wearing a mask.

"What do you want, get out of my room why don't you." He muttered, slowly sitting up and leaning against the headboard of the bed as he let his face become that of an innocent exhaustion. One of his personal favorites. It often helped when he was moving the strings a bit too much and wanted to puppets to respond faster. Nothing worked better than innocence.  
"You've been asleep a full day since your little incident." Elektra stated, clipping off her words with each intensifying second of her glare.  
"Al'right." Ryan said bluntly. "What have I done now?"  
"Sirena." Elektra stated.

Immediately Ryan was sat up, trying to control his face from moving into something he didn't quite actually recognize yet at that moment. His eyes gleamed for a second and Elektra paused. "What?"  
"What did you say to him a couple of days ago?" She stated just as bluntly as Ryan had asked. Her eyes were livid with anger and fury as she looked over him.

The same anger that Sirena masked.

"I don't know what you mean."  
"You better start remembering then. Because this time, he's gone missing and even me and Mike can't find him! We don't know whether or not to call the police!" She shouted.

Ryan had to stop himself from paling.

His heart hammered in his chest violently.

"I swear. If this is because of you. You're gonna wish that little mask that you wear so well was made of real iron you lying little two faced trash!"

With that she slammed her fist against the wall and ran off to continue her search.

"Sirena." Ryan whispered, the only thing on his mind. Elektra's threat meaning nothing less to him than an annoying wasp or fly would. The only thing that mattered to him.

Was if Sirena was okay.

It took him barely a minute to get dressed. To shove on a fresh pair of boxers and jeans after changing out of the ones he had been wearing the day his panic attack had taken him, and Sirena's mental break down had taken the blond.

Ryan paused as he thought back to the feeling of Sirena having been laid there in his arms. The feeling of the silver blond encased in his arms as he had slept lightly on Ryan's chest. Whimpering occasionally before calming at Ryan's voice and soothing words. He had never really tried using those before, at least not genuinely. But with Sirena it had been different... like something strange. That sickening twist in his stomach and the tight grip on his gut and chest... it had felt... horrible! But, nice at the same time!

He had felt like he had wanted to keep Sirena from the entire world. Ryan had wanted to cut all and any strings that Sirena had to the world and what ever it meant for the blond. He wanted to see that smile that the blond had given to that kid... King. _Pretentious idiot._ Ryan thought at the recollection of the hooded boy's name. But the fact remained the same. Even with his mask down, when he had felt probably the most and completely vulnerable... He had felt something.

He just didn't know what.

He didn't understand it. What this feeling in his gut was. Why his chest tightened every time that he thought of Sirena...

No. He had to think about right now.

He paused as it clicked in his thoughts and he grinned.

"Got you." He smirked.

It was about a decent half an hour to get to the theater, but Ryan found himself following the trail almost as though he had walked it a hundred times before.

Even when he was inside and stood among the top line of the ground level chairs, he knew exactly that he had been right from the first thought.

"Sirena?" He called out, into the dark theater. The builders were working with their heavy machines. For all they cared, there could have been a full show going on, they wouldn't have heard a single thing.

This time though when Ryan called out, there was no black out of lights.

Only the faint sound of something from behind the stage.

He frowned curiously, slowly walking down isle after isle. He was wearing no jacket as he had come out in a rush, but only wore a plain white shirt and a dark pair of jeans. His hair was a mess and he was sure that he had looked far better before, but he had just needed to be here. He needed to find the blond. To make sure that Sirena was okay.  
 _It's a shame you didn't think like that when hew as being raped._ His thoughts muttered to him and he grimaced, glaring down at the floor.

Aren't rogue thoughts just the best sometimes?

The stage was so quiet. It's marble black colour seemed to just absorb all the light in the room... well what was left from it anyway. It was like wondering through a thick midnight. He would like to say that he managed to get through it relatively unscathed, but after stubbing his feet a few time on the hidden platforms and walking into the curtains, he had pretty much muttered most swear words he knew.

Still thought the faint sound was still there.

Ryan frowned walking down the corridors and ducking past the trolley of costumes, till he finally came across the room where the sound was coming from.

The moment he opened the door, he wished that he hadn't.

The room was relatively large for what it was supposed to be.

there was a couch, which was occupied.

The walls were painted in a cream white while one side of the room was adorned with a large desk which stretched across the length, while it was also adorned with large golden frames mirrors which had massive theatrical light bulbs casting their precious color glow around the otherwise shadowed room. It was meant for the main actors who would adorn themselves probably in make up before heading out onto the stage to make their big performance...

But Ryan's eyes and mind were otherwise still locked onto the couch which was occupied.

Sirena was lent back on a table, while a golden haired and puppy dog brown eyed boy was slowly kissing him gently. Sirena's arms were locked around his neck, occasionally moving up into the golden hair to grip it, making the other blond groan slightly before they went back into their kiss.

The golden haired boy was slender. His eyes dark but yet so warm. The hood of his jacket was down but Ryan could still just about guess who this bastard was.

He coughed slowly into his hand and watched for a moment as Sirena glanced over, a complete and utter look of disbelief and surprise painted behind his mask, but Ryan saw enough through the crack to notice it. But the blond eyed boy just narrowed his eyes, glaring back when he in turn noticed the cold look of anger that Ryan was pointing at King.

Sirena just turned back and went back to making soft and light kisses, while Ryan turned and stormed out the room and back onto the main stage.

He kicked out violently at some empty paint cans which were still littered around on the surface. He snarled out as his foot struck them and sent them flying through the air and onto the carpet floor of the isles. He didn't care.

He imagined that every single paint can was painted with that golden haired, brown eyed bastard's face.

He tried to rip at the curtains but they wouldn't budge so he settled for ripping apart the costume trolleys and throwing the metal into a large scrap heap on the stage. The clothes tore apart as easily as paper would under Ryan's strong grip.

It wasn't until he was panting and holding his sore chest that he finally took a moment to see the carnage that he had unleashed around him.

 _"You're acting like a puppet would."_

A single spot light burst onto the stage as every where else, every other light turned out.

Darkness enveloped the room leaving Ryan completely in the dark shadows while his mask slowly pulled itself back on.

"You didn't know that I would come?" Ryan called out, ignoring the obvious message that Sirena was making with the single spotlight.

 _Your place is in the shadows you coward. You wouldn't go into the spotlight even if you were shoved into it!_ That had been his words right?

 _"No."_ A whisper bounced off the walls, leaving Ryan to look around then turn his head down slightly at the broken and pained tone behind it.

Before he glowered thinking about that blond bastard and how he had put his lips on Ryan's Sirena!

"I saw the chessboard... before I left." The brunette called out.

It had been left on the table by the door. Ryan had glimpsed at it and had paused when he had saw what Sirena had obviously left as a message.

All other pieces, spare the two kings, had been wiped off the board.

The two kings had been placed directly in front of each other.

A double checkmate.

 _"What do you want."_ Sirena enunciated.

"I told you!" Ryan called out. "We're two pieces that can't ignore each other! So far, every time I've beaten you, you've come back and beaten me with a vengeance!" He admitted frowning slightly.  
 _"From the look on your face in there... I'd say that I've won completely."  
_ "What do you mean by that." Ryan snapped.  
 _"You. Looked. Crushed."_ Sirena whispered.

The words were so soft that they could have been not heard.

But they dug so deep into Ryan that he swore they could have been branded on.

His face instantly steeled.

 _"Game on again. But I'm bored of playing with you. I've already won! I've just crushed you."  
_ "Then play _with_ me against those stupid puppets!" Ryan snapped.

Something caught his eye.

He watched with a fear grip in his heart as slowly a long strobe curtain of glittering gold unwound, something in the center tied into it, rolling with the material.

But it was only when the last of the material unrolled halfway above the stage and a silver hair blond was revealed with his legs tied around the material, his fingers gripping in deeply to it while the boy swung ever so lightly, that Ryan finally saw what he wanted.

"Why should I. Of all people. Why should I be around you." Sirena whispered. His voice as soft as ever but his eyes such a vicious blue that Ryan swore no winter could ever match up to being as cold.  
"Because- Because there's a connection!" Ryan sighed, brushing the back of his neck, but keeping his face calm. "You know it. It's why you came to me in the bathroom... even after Elektra warned you not to."  
"You seem to be reading me a bit better." Sirena said casually, his eyes still slightly narrowed at the fact that Ryan had figured out that much.  
"It's easy to look in the mirror and see your reflection-"  
"We're nothing alike."  
"You said it yourself! We're both monsters!" Ryan shouted finally having enough that he looked the boy dead center in the eyes.

Sirena was wearing a plain black t-shirt and a pair of jeans. A completely different style than the crazy clothes the boy wore. He wore no make up or eyeliner around his face. His lips were a soft natural pink, rouge.

For his physical appearance, this was as bare as Sirena had been.

 _I miss him wearing his other clothes._ Ryan thought.

Sirena twisted slowly on the curtain, raising his legs out wide like he was flexing them into a split, before he let go of the material and fell backwards, landing in a crouch at the center of the spot light. He stood slowly, his hair flat against his head instead of it's normal spikes. His eyes more barren than death valley desert at midday.

This is what Sirena had meant... when he wasn't playing the game. When he wasn't hiding behind all the clothes, the appearance, the theatricality. This is what he was.

"This is your only chance." Sirena whispered softly, walking forward slowly to the edge of the spotlight. "Take a look... because it may be your last."  
"W-What?"  
"You're wasting time Ryan." The boy stated, his eyes sparking for a moment with his mask, like he was actually fighting to keep it off.  
"Stop calling me that! You don't call me Ryan!" The brunette snapped.

But then he paused as he took a look at the real Sirena for the first time.

He was stuck in the past, five years ago. He was still that boy, being hurt. Sirena, was just a persona... like another personality. A way for the silver blond to cope with his life. The pain in his eyes was so intense that Ryan found himself wanting to stare away. That time in the alley... and god knows how many other times from what the boy had said. They were all there in Sirena's head. Playing back to him, second after second. Every minute of the day. Sirena had to live through that misery with every waking moment.

If he wasn't the one distracting himself by pulling the strings on others, and playing the game with Ryan...Then he was someone else. The person who had to suffer through all of that.

"You need to talk to someone." Ryan whispered.  
"He does." A voice stated coolly.

Ryan snapped his head over with a glare, as through the darkness a figure stepped into the spotlight with Sirena, almost like a loyal guard dog, stood behind the silver haired blond.

The boy was a twig. He barely had any tone on his arms and his torso looked as though he was malnourished. His hair was a complete mess of dirty blond and brown streaks. His face was sharp and very smooth, but Ryan just glowered behind his calm mask.

"This is King." Sirena said quietly. "My boyfriend."

His eyes snapped up from looking at the ground to look dead center in Ryan's eye.

"He's been trying to talk me into going back to Elm Tree house." Sirena looked over his shoulder before glaring back at Ryan, who was staring hopefully for the answer he craved.

"I said I'd rather die."

With that the spot light blacked out and Ryan was left alone in the darkness of the theater again.


	9. Chapter 9

**Third update of the day! Hehe! ^_^ Thanks to** **Justice237** **as always for your lovely review! ^_^ Thanks to everyone for the follows and favorite so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point.**

* * *

"I'd rather die."

Ryan glared over at the wall, tapping his fingers on his knee.

He had been held up in his room since he had made it back. Whenever one of the others had tried to come into his room, they had simply flinched away with the glower that he provided them with. Not even Elektra who had come to look at him with a branding look of fury had stepped into the room, but only stood in the doorway, staring at Ryan. Slightly shaking her head as her eyes had bore into him.

He had not even given the stupid puppet the satisfaction of a response but only kept his glower pointed at the wall.

Sirena wouldn't come back here.

Why.

He couldn't understand! And he hated it!

It was so much more complex than Sirena hating him for what happened! There were just so many variables attached to this that Ryan found himself going more crazy in his silence the longer that he sat there trying to figure out just exactly what was going on!

No.

He slowly shook his head, his eyes narrowing as he felt a headache coming on. He rubbed his temples slowly but said nothing, slowly focusing more on just what it was that these variables were. His mind raced with the facts but it was because of that, he was making no sense of this! There had to be some discipline to his thoughts and some form of management.

No puppeteer could move their dolls if their strings were tied.

Time to put these facts out clearly.

Ryan closed his eyes and imagined himself slowly into the mess which was the vortex of his thoughts.

It was like being stood in the heart of a star while round you was complete darkness. A single spot of light shined beneath Ryan while around him, images, squares of memories that he focused on, trying to arrange everything which were his thoughts, seemed to just roam further and further untamed.

There were the whispers of memories, the words echoing around him: _"He's my boyfriend"  
"The Alley."  
"This is my boyfriend."  
"I'd rather die."  
"Sis."  
"Rye-Rye."_

Then there were the images, all moving at a speed Ryan barely had chance to even catch them in his own mind.

Flashes of Sirena's face.

When the silver blond had kissed him... well practically had kissed him anyway, but officially, he had just been giving Ryan, mouth to mouth.  
When Ryan had walked in on King and Sirena.  
The silver blond falling in a mess of tears.  
Both of them asleep together, Ryan holding onto Sirena as though he could fight off the world.  
Sirena's look of complete hatred at Ryan.  
The memory of the boy in the alley screaming out for Ryan's help while he had been raped.  
Elektra shielding Sirena from Ryan and taking him away, even though both boys had grinned at each other with a glint in their eyes.

 _STOP!_ His thoughts screamed out and he felt it all coming to a crashing stop around him.

He used this method he had learnt a long time ago. It helped him right now as he could see all the memories and thoughts around him... but now came the hard bit. He could feel his will to keep his thoughts paused just for one minute a strain, like it was to keep his mask up for such a long time, or how Sirena had found it hard to keep his mask off.

 _Sirena in the alley way... the name Rose.  
Persephone's brat._

Those two thoughts came rushing forward first. But they made absolutely no sense at all. Rose... what was with the name Rose? Why was that word specifically now, permanently sliced into Sirena's lower back?

No. He didn't understand those, but they would be important. Ryan knew that much. He didn't have to know everything about Sirena to know that those two thoughts were the key to this somehow.

But right now he wasn't looking for that key. He was looking for something to make sense of the situation.

He raised out his hand in his head and slowly arranged the words and memories into one place.

 ** _Rose.  
_ _Persephone's brat.  
_**

Those were the start of the list.

Ryan kept going through the memories. Anything since he had first met Sirena or-

 _ **The Alley way.  
You're like a small Siren. **_

He had to stop himself for a minute and open his eyes as he remembered Sirena's screams of agony, the boy almost sounding like he was actually gurgling on blood at one point before Ryan had gotten out of ear range.

But he would always remember that noise. He may be able to bury it. But he would never forget it.

He glared though as anger coursed through his veins like a hot fire, like a hot needle slowly being shoved under his skin violently and glass being shoved to replace the blood in his wrists. He flexed his fingers before closing his eyes.

 _ **King.**_

Just like the name Sirena. It now seemed to be a bit staged. Sirena. It was like the blond was actually clinging onto the past. _Rose_. _Sirena_. They were just names for someone who lived in the shadows. Ryan knew what it was like to take that step back.

 _Sirena isn't his real name._ He decided. _And that pretentious wanker of a boyfriend, is not named King. But the way they look at each other._ Ryan thought for a moment, remembering when Sirena hadn't seen him and given King that almighty smile.

That had been pure happiness, nostalgia of a kind which Sirena didn't seem to often have.

Was it love? Was it affection? Adoration? Ryan couldn't say. He wasn't sure yet. There weren't enough variables.

If a kiss was anything to go by, then Ryan may as well have been up there between the both of them, because to him, that mouth to mouth had been just a bit longer, a bit more careful, and a bit more exact than mouth to mouth should have been.

But he knew it didn't count as a real kiss.

 _ **Rose.  
**_ ** _Persephone's brat.  
The Alleyway.  
You're like a small siren.  
King.  
The theater.  
Sirena.  
Gymnastics.  
_**

Ryan's eyes burst open slowly as he looked up to the window where a pale porcelain skinned figure sat, one leg dangling from the window ledge, while the other was propped up with an arm lent against it.

"You talk when you're thinking too hard." Sirena muttered, his eyes cold and focused as he looked over Ryan. "Just like you do in your sleep."

The silver haired blond was wearing a pair of leather jeans and heeled platform boots which went up to his ankles. He wore a black shirt writing which said; _Leave the boy._

 _Ironic._ Ryan thought.

Sirena's jacket hung from his shoulder while he wore a choker necklace of falling glistening jewels, what almost looked like diamonds which formed down to a sharp point against his chest, while a nest of the black framing highlighted the perfect porcelain pale of his skin. His hair was a mess of spikes at the top, now shinning fresh and glistening like new.

However Sirena's eyes didn't leave Ryan once.

"Rose. Sirena." The boy whispered softly, his eyes boring into Ryan. "Do you truly want to know what they mean?"  
"I already can guess." Ryan stated quietly. "Though of course I'm not a trained psychologist... I think I know what they mean... I've seen signs of it before."  
"Then you will know to keep your mouth shut." Sirena stated.

Slowly he lent forward slightly. "If you're a monster, then you're mine?" He whispered softly.

Ryan ducked his head slightly, fighting with every ounce that he had to hide the blush.

"Every time that you're around me, that small little empty chest of yours tightens doesn't it? Don't try to hide it. I'm tired and I can see through you like a sheet of glass." Sirena stated, when Ryan had tried to raise his mask. "We see each other far too clearly now for this to be a simple game of hiding behind masks. This has become hiding behind acts. The stakes have raised now. This has become a game of survival. Which one of us will crash first."  
"And we both know it won't be me." Ryan stated arrogantly, glaring at the boy.  
"I've already won, when you saw me and-" Sirena paused having nearly tripped over an name.  
"Really? Because from what I know, is that you would never allow someone to touch you. Other than me of course." Ryan stood up slowly, towering over the boy as he stood by the window. Sirena's gaze never left him. "You trembled under his kiss. You tried to act like you wasn't but you only went for light kisses because it meant that you had an excuse to pull back."  
Sirena's eyes darkened.  
"You had it down. Everything! That whelp, had you terrified to be touched! You couldn't even-"

Ryan found next thing he knew was that he was on the floor and his head was spinning.

Sirena slowly flexed his leg from the straight up angle he had brought it to to kick the boy.

"There it is! You strike out! You don't know what else to do when someone has you cornered! You call me a coward!? You say I'm scared to step into the spotlight. YOU'RE TERRIFIED TO STEP OUT OF IT!" Ryan bellowed.

He held his jaw on the floor as both stared at each other. The game coming to much more of an interest to both at the moment. The facts between them being shed faster than both knew how to deal with.

"That's it... isn't it. That's what all this leads to. You said it, but you haven't really said have you?" Ryan whispered, sitting up, rubbing where the shiner of a bruise was coming on through the skin.

Sirena just snarled and ducked over quickly rushing out the room like there was no tomorrow.

 _And you run away... just like me._ Ryan thought bitterly, turning his eyes away and glaring down at the floor.

He hadn't realized there were tears in his eyes till pale fingers slowly stroked along his cheek and a cold press wet flannel was pushed against his jaw, wrapped in some ice.

Sirena was knelt on the bed between Ryan's legs, staring at the boy and hushing him softly.

"I'm... I'm sorry." Sirena whispered.  
"I told you... we're the same." Ryan said, equally as quietly as Sirena rested his hand against the boy's cheek. The small diamonds of his necklace glinted so brightly that Ryan couldn't help but stare at them.  
"I know." Sirena said so quietly that Ryan had to strain to hear him. "I know." He sighed painfully.  
"Sirena?"

Ryan lifted the boy's shirt to see a line of matching bruises cover his ribs and chest. "What the hell-"  
"Leave it. Please."

In that moment Ryan had to listen. To hear such a pleading tone. Such pure desperation. The look in those cold blue eyes was so deep.  
"Fine." He whispered, his gaze moving back to the necklace.  
"Sometimes... The people who did _it_ , weren't always on the street..."  
"Excuse me?"

Was Sirena... actually opening up to him?!

"Sometimes wealthy people... they thought that they could buy my silence. So they would buy me things, clothes, jewelry... it just made me disgust them all the more."  
"They were doing it to slate their own guilt." Ryan nodded. Slowly reaching his arms out as Sirena lowered his head, shame, guilt, pain, all painted there in those beautiful blue eyes.

The boy slumped forward slowly till he was resting against Ryan's chest and both were laid back in the bed together. Sirena's head, rising and falling slowly on Ryan's chest as the boy's heart became a rhythmic song to the blond.

"You did win." Ryan whispered into the silence of the passing minutes.  
"Pardon?" Sirena frowned slightly as he looked up slowly, his eyes filled with exhaustion.  
"You won." Ryan stated again. "You crushed me."  
"You won." Sirena whispered.  
"What?"  
"You got me to open up." He said gently, slightly trembling under Ryan touch till the brunette hushed him softly to silence.

Both just lay there. The hours rolling by, minutes meaningless. Seconds stringing together. It was like eternity was at their doorstep and neither was in any mood to leave it's tender care.

"But the game isn't over."  
"Not by a long shot." Sirena nodded slowly. "Your terms?"  
"If I win... you tell me everything."

Sirena's eyes blazed for a moment.

"If you won't tell someone... then I guess I'm going to have to be the one to help you."  
"If I win..." Sirena looked up slowly. "Then you have to forget about me."

That brought Ryan to a tense still as his breath hitched.

"That's my conditions. If I win, you forget me. The first month I'm supposed to be here is nearly up anyway. That's seven left. That should take us up to Christmas." Sirena looked down with a glare. "Christmas day, to be exact."  
"Sirena-"  
"If I win, you will forget me and absolutely everything you know about me. Just like that day with the police man, it will be like you have never known me at all. It's best that way for you anyway."  
"But you never said, which game." Ryan smirked, finally catching on as Sirena looked up, a faint sparkle dancing in his eye as each held the other's gaze like both were hooked.  
"Come back to Elm Tree." Ryan whispered.  
"I'm staying with King."  
"Sirena. You cannot live in that theater."

Sirena paused at that. A cold breeze blew the curtains into the room as it gave out a strong roar of it's strength. The light in the room flickered while both looked outside to see that black clouds had formed and rain was just starting to heave down. Lightning strikes in the distance and Sirena dove to the side to quickly smash the light switch off.

"Uh... Sirena?"  
"Shut up." The boy whimpered.  
"Are you sca-"

Sirena flinched back as lightning struck outside and thunder boomed.

 _The game has only just started and he's already struggling._ Ryan thought to himself, tilting his head as his arms acted on instinct.

Sirena looked up, almost flinching away from Ryan's touch till the boy pulled him over to the bed and both slipped under the covers.

Ryan pulled out his phone and some headphones plugging one in Sirena's ear which was most likely to hear the thunder while the other was resting on Ryan's chest, listening to his heartbeat. Ryan's arms of course were locked around Sirena like the wall of an impenetrable castle. His head resting lightly on Sirena who trembled till Ryan hit the play button and music filled the silence and overtook the thunder.

Sirena's tense body began to ease, more and more slowly.

"You're not going out there." Ryan whispered.  
"Then I will just wait till you're asleep and I'll leave."  
"Then not only will I tell Mike about where you were staying, but also the fact that there's someone else there."

Sirena's gaze glared up at Ryan as the boy saw what the situation was now. This game had it's own stakes. If Ryan lost, he knew that Sirena wouldn't come back again. If Sirena lost, then the boy would have to stay here for the entire of his trial time.

A game both boys were fierce not to let go off... but Sirena knew that this time, Ryan had the upper hand. By the time that the blond would have time to alert King to flee, Ryan would have already told Mike and they would have gone to find the boy... which could lead them to the rest of the family!

Sirena wouldn't betray his family.

Never.

"Checkmate." He growled in submission.  
"Sleep now. I'll look after those bruises in the morning." Ryan yawned.  
"Fuck you." Sirena whispered.  
"Oh and... While you're back at Elm Tree, you have to stay in our room."  
"You son of a-" Sirena growled and stopped himself, glaring up slowly to Ryan with sparkling eyes.

Ryan thought back to the boy that he had seen dangling from the curtain in the theater.

Sirena's eyes were so alive now that they could have belonged to someone else. The sparkle inside them. The glisten. The pure and unadulterated glee which practically glowed with joy!

Then came the most surprising part of everything.

Sirena leaned forward.

Then stopped himself.

The distance between their lips had almost been completely closed.

Ryan stared with wide eyes and watched Sirena pull back slowly till the blond rested his head back against Ryan's chest, letting the surprised Ryan take a few seconds to process what had almost happened before he curled his arms back tightly around the boy. What was going on with him? He had never held anyone else like this before... never actually shown kindness to anyone else before... but everyone else had been a puppet. A controlled piece on a string. Sirena was a king. A king with a broken crown left in the shadow. Ryan had been right, just as the blond had been. Sirena was scared to leave the spotlight, as Ryan was scared to leave the shadows... _We're the same. Two different sides of the same coin._

He smirked slightly as he looked down at the blond. His confidence growing as slowly King seemed to be a less likely worry in the long run of this thoughts.

 _We're supposed to be together._ He thought, though, as he felt the twist in his stomach again and felt what felt like butterflies go through him, he began to question, just exactly which way that he meant that thought.  
"Aye up, get some sleep now... _Princess_." Ryan whispered softly.  
"Fine... _Rye-Rye._ " Sirena whispered just as gently back.


	10. Chapter 10

**Crap. Stupid. Day. Yesterday. Sorry for the late update. Thanks to** **Justice237, CharlieSMarts12 and CatsAndWhiskers for your lovely review! Thanks to everyone for the follows and favorite so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point.**

* * *

"Sirena!"

Ryan's head flinched up, from where it had been resting against the pillow.

The time on his clock as just about one minute or so before his alarm clock would go off. Honestly. What was the point of having an alarm clock, if you was going to wake up before the stupid thing went off anyway.

But in this case Ryan had been thankful he had been woken.

It seemed bringing up those memories of his past and specifically dwelling on the thought of what happened to Sirena in the alley... probably wasn't the best for the brunette. He had spent his night, tortured and trapped inside the memory, living it over and over like some kind of sick replay, unable to get out of it.

But as he looked down to see the pale face resting against his chest, he couldn't help but let out a small sigh at feeling a bit more secure. Sirena was here. They were both safe. No one could come and get them. They were two kings finally reunited at last. The masters of the game! They were the only two humans left around this place still truly alive! One of them kept alive by the need to fight and the other by pain.

Sirena's hair was flat against his brow, but still shined like that of absolute, pure moonlight. Ryan often wondered if it was natural? But it just suited Sirena so well anyway that it didn't really matter he guessed. Sirena was so amazing anyway, the boy was lithe and well toned. He could move far more than most others could. He had more advantages and more to fight for than others would.

Ryan reached out a hand slowly, and gently pulled back the lock of hair out of Sirena's closed eyes. The soft skin around his eyelids was tinged slightly pink, just like the boy's cheeks were dusted faintly with a low and pale crimson glow. He looked so small right there and then, held in Ryan's embrace. Clinging on so tightly while his guards couldn't have been any further down, yet while awake he couldn't have pushed himself any further away from the brunette.

Ryan's hand quickly slammed over onto the snooze button of the alarm the moment the clock's minute change and it had been about to wake the blond up. No. Sirena deserved an extra ten minutes in bed. After all, it was more likely than not going to be a long day ahead of them, but at least it was Friday. It just meant that they had to get through this day then both boys had two full days to themselves.

But the opportunity which presented itself within those hours was simply more than Ryan could wish for.

A whole building full of puppets, just waiting to be toyed with.

But even so, even with the normal cold excitement that usually rushed through his bones at the thought of another day's work, he couldn't help but find himself distracted. His eyes simply refused to move from Sirena as the brunette subconsciously tightened his embrace when the boy started whimpering softly. _Seems it's not just me stuck with the nightmares._ Ryan thought, tilting his head slightly then looking over as the clock finally went off.

Sirena growled quietly in his sleep and Ryan had to stop himself from laughing at the blond.

"Come on Princess. Time to rise and shine."  
"I don't wanna." The boy pouted and murmured as he just purred when he felt the warmth of Ryan's chest against his cold cheek. He trembled ever so slightly and let a small gasp, Ryan just remained still. He had felt Sirena's temperature dropping rapidly in the night till the boy had felt like ice in his arms, he hadn't let go of course, but only tried to share what warmth he could.

"You know we have to get out of bed eventually."  
"Meh." The boy muttered.  
"Get up or I'll kiss you."  
"What-OW!"

Sirena had startled himself awake and had crashed backwards with surprise. Luckily he had his reflexes on his side so as he had hit the floor he had been able to roll out of it, but he still looked like he had caught his head.

He glowered back up at the other boy who was sat smugly on the bed. "You slimy git!" Sirena smirked, his eyes alive and dancing with sparkles of light.  
"Well I try my best."  
"But if you ever try and put your lips on me." Sirena smiled sweetly. "I'll kick you so hard in the balls that you will be singing Ave Maria in a pitch that most women can't reach, for a month. Do you understand?" He said ever so softly.  
Ryan gulped then.  
"Hah! You'd love for me to kiss you."  
"I'd say that King does the job just fine."

Instantly the growing mood between them was extinguished.

"Yeah." Ryan muttered, turning his head away with a sigh as he slowly stood.

Slowly the boy stretched, smirking when he felt Sirena's eyes lock onto his exposed torso.

"I bet he does." The boy had to hold back his grin as he half glanced over his shoulder to look Sirena point in the eyes.

Then came a show that Ryan had barely gotten to see before. Sirena dove at the wall so quickly and so lightly that Ryan understood a bit more why the boy had chosen to train in gymnastics and theater. Because as the boy had made a leap which otherwise would have had the others downstairs shouting. But Sirena only landed so lightly that there was no sound!

Well, just until the door slammed open and nearly hit the boy in the face that was.

A seething Carmen was stood in the doorway glowering at him with such an anger that he had to stop himself from laughing outright at her face. Her hair was in a mess over her face and covering up the right side of it. _Thank god, now I only need to half look away from it._ Ryan thought, trying harder and harder not to smirk. After all, it's pretty hard to take someone in a big fluffy pink dressing gown seriously. "It is Saturday!" The girl snarled, shouting with a her pathetic glare as though she could actually even scare him. "IT HAS BEEN A LONG WEEK! TURN YOUR ALARM CLOCK OFF!"

With that she stormed away.

The door slowly beginning to creak close.

 _Oh that's right._ Ryan nodded slowly. Yesterday had been Friday. He had managed to sneak out of his class and then go to the theater to see Sirena. But when he got back here, he hadn't had chance to reset his alarm clock like he usually did at the weekends-

His breathing nearly stopped felt Sirena's face came back into view.

And unlike Carmen, Sirena could definitely give a murderous look which could make Ryan as scared as hell.

He slowly raised his hands up. "Eh now, take it easy Princess."  
"Run." Sirena growled.  
"Hey now, easy there! It was just a simple mistake!" Ryan took a couple of steps back slowly.  
"Five." Sirena muttered.  
"Oh crap." Ryan whispered, sprinting out the door as fast as he could.  
"Four, three, two, one. Zero." Sirena sped through the last of the countdown, storming after Ryan like a tornado in the height of it's storm. His eyes sparkling but livid with annoyance at having being awoken for nothing.

"Oh, crap, crap,crap!" ryan muttered, as Sirena seemed to catch up with him far more easily than most others would have... but of course, the boy was everything but an official athlete! The boy had been trained to run his entire life! If this was the Maze Runner, then Sirena was Thomas and Ryan was Newt.

"Sirena! Give it up why don't ya! I said I was sorry!" Ryan called over his shoulder.

Tee glanced over from the doorway and rolled her eyes as she had dodged out of the way of the two and just simply smirked to herself. "Oh those two are so gonna end up together." She shook her head, laughing quietly before going back into her room, adding quietly. "Gotta say, I ship it."

"I'm gonna kill you Ryan!" Sirena barked.  
"Man! When we're married, remind me not to get you up on the wrong side of the bed!"  
"WHAT?!"

Sirena stumbled completely caught out of surprise and crashed into the open tool closet door Ryan had left waiting in trap for him. The blond crashed loudly into a wall of a metal bucket and into the various items and or other possessions and games in there.

 _That slimy little weasel._ Sirena's thoughts snarled as his poker face was activated. _USING THAT TO CATCH ME OFF GUARD?! Oh... he's so dead._

Ryan stood over him and lent against the doorway with a Cheshire cat grin across his face. "Well there little Jerry, looks like this Tom cat finally caught the mouse." Ryan inspected his nails casually while Sirena narrowed his eyes.  
"Now when you're talking to little Jerry, are you referring to what's between your legs?" Sirena grinned.  
Ryan's jaw dropped open and his face exploded out bright red as he stared at the boy disbelievingly.

"First of all, yes _Rye-Rye,_ I just went there." Sirena laughed coldly, slowly moving the fallen mop off his head, before then slowly tilting his head and letting a slow bone crunching sound crack out and make Ryan pale slightly. "Ooh." Sirena smirked from ear to ear. "I think I'm going to enjoy this game a hell of a lot more than our others."  
"Um... any chance that you just want to call it checkmate from this point?"  
"Not a single one in hell." Sirena whispered.  
"I thought so." Ryan sighed, before taking off as fast as his legs would carry him.

Sirena was up in a flash and after the boy, bounding off walls, and pushing his weight against them, giving him some elevation just as Ryan reached the stairs.  
"I can't see you doing that in front of our kids!" Ryan barked.  
"Nice try _Rye-Rye_ but that isn't going to work a third time! You know what they say, fool me once, shame on you, fall me twice, shame on me, fall me three times? You're gonna get the smashed apart!"  
"Who say's you'd get to do that?!"  
"I'm still not playing those games Ryan- Oh you meant-Never mind." Sirena shook his head, having the decency to at least blush but otherwise glowering with narrowed eyes as she pushed all his weight off the wall and landed with a crouch on the hand rail, closing his arms around the air above the space where Ryan had been just a second before.  
"I thought you was trying to catch me!" Ryan grinned.  
"This game has only just begun." Sirena smirked, throwing himself forward through the air like the boy was sailing on it, then pushing himself into a rebound as he landed just behind the brunette in a crouch back on the rail.

Ryan had to admit... that, was impressive.

Sirena slowly rose and folded both arms over his chest as he glowered down at the other boy, still in nothing other than the pajama shorts that he had slept in. His legs were crossed over one another and yet the boy still stood there like he had absolutely no problem in the world just balancing, as though it meant absolutely nothing at all. "Not fair." Ryan glared.  
"And yet the irony of you shoving me in the closet?" Sirena smirked. "That move was fair? Or especially the one you used last night?"  
"Oh don't hold a grudge!"  
 _I've seemed to do pretty well holding one big one on you for the last four years._ Sirena thought, his gaze becoming distant for one long minute as the memory snapped at him.

That's when it happened.

It was like a cold tide suddenly ripped through the boy's chest, making the air press out of his lungs. The cold moving through every inch of his body while the inside of his head felt like it was suddenly doused in gasoline and had the match tossed to ignite and burn him down. His thoughts screamed out in agony though it wasn't him... well not exactly.

It sounded like a very, specific him.

The play seemed to leave his eyes just at the second that Ryan recognized what may have just happened, reading the boy's growing expression on his face.

He didn't even stop own reactions from throwing himself out the way as Sirena launched out with a kick, which would have otherwise crushed Ryan's face into the wall. The boy's mouth pulled back into a savage growl as the boy barred his teeth.

"SIRENA!" A voice screamed out from the top of the staircase.

Elektra had barely caught sight of it but it had been all she had needed to see as she stormed forward.

Sirena just simply bounded off the wall with a snarl, word having abandoned his mouth.

Unlike the two, Ryan had decided to take a sprint, preferably in the opposite direction of Sirena!

Something had just happened in those blue eyes. It had been like watching a mirror shatter to pieces. Like all off a sudden, all the sparkle which was Sirena whenever he was playing a game of masks, or even all the empty barren nothing which were his cold blue orbs when they weren't, suddenly were replaced by an anger. Not like the kind when Sirena was allowing himself to feel it, but something much more feral. It had absolutely no restraint, no distinction that Sirena was actually even fully maybe comprehensive that it was there.

It was like all of a sudden, what had made Sirena that boy had suddenly just been lashed away and completely replaced. The way that the boy had held himself, so precisely with a slow pace and patience had been replaced by a impatient blood lust desire, and Ryan had seen enough blood lust to know when someone was going for some real damage and just majorly angry.

Sirena's eyes had snapped onto his throat with a very real gaze that had wanted to do some damage.

Ryan afforded a glance over his shoulder and regretted it almost immediately as they sprinted into the kitchen. Sirena's arm reached out slowly for the knife in it's holder as both ran level to each other with only the kitchen island and the table as a gap between them. But what ever this was... what ever was going. Sirena's grip was reckless now. His fingers missed the grip of the hilt and boy snarled, throwing himself into a roll over the kitchen counter and then diving for the table, skidding across it and sending chairs flying across the distance of the room.

Ryan managed to duck but felt the boy nearly grab the collar of his throat, his finger nails digging in deep and leaving a mark Ryan knew he would feel.

But as Sirena went tumbling over the table, time seemed to slow down for both as they connected their gazes.

Just one second frozen in an instance of reality, for Ryan more so than maybe even Sirena felt as he got a real look into the blond's eyes.

Primal, savage, blood thirsty hunger. No regard for appearance. No thought about what Ryan was thinking. No idea about what to use around him, except by what ever was shiny and made of metal and nearest to his hands. By the look of it, Sirena had decided that his own hands and teeth now seemed as good enough weapon as any.

But gazing back into those eyes. Ryan found himself in that second drawing more and more detail. _Eyes indicate intense fear. Pupil dilate. Sirena's shoulders are still tensed. Even when the boy's running. Backs up the first thought._ Ryan's single image was being picked apart as fast as his thoughts could go. _Fists curled tightly, intense anger. Faint line of trembles. Arms covered in goosebumps. Shoulders brought forward slightly, eyebrows furrows slightly._ His mind shouted the facts at him as fast as that single frozen second would allow him.

All of this.

None of it was Sirena.

It couldn't be! Sirena wasn't the one in control here!

Second over.

Sirena screamed out as he skidded across the floor and came to a stop, the boy snapping his gaze up to lock back on the boy.

Ryan threw the back door close behind him but that only stopped the blond for all but a few seconds as Sirena snarled out, smashing into it so hard that it nearly left cracks on the glass pane. The boy let out a savage snarl and brought his leg out into a swift but strong kick. The brunette was surprised that it hadn't come off it's hinges. He knew first hand just how strong Sirena was with his kicks and he knew-  
 _"RAGH!"_

Ryan want tumbling to the floor, crashing down the gravel of the garden and over the brick work with Sirena, rolling over and over each other. Ryan tried to protect the boy as much as possible, but as he brought Sirena close, the boy just sunk his teeth into Ryan's shoulder.

It was more than a ordinary game now.

This had so far only been seen by Elektra and him. It was obvious from Sirena's reactions, the boy wasn't in control. Heck, Ryan barely knew if the boy would figure out he had done any of this. But if he screamed out right then, the others would know. They would come and see. Sirena would be taken away from him. No. He had just got the blond back.

This game had just become a battle for both boy's to fight a primary urge.

For the moment that Ryan bit into his lip so viciously that it bled, Sirena who was now crouched above the brunette with his fist pulled back and his mouth wide open to sink onto Ryan's neck, there was a pause.

It was like seeing a lightning bolt course straight down through Sirena's spike and through his eyes.

"Daniel!" Elektra called.

Ryan barely had time to frown, staring up at the large dripping red smear around Sirena's lips. That was his blood... That was his blood! Sirena's mouth and cheek was smeared with it. Ryan could feel the puncture marks in his shoulder from where Sirena's teeth had pierced. But now the boy was paused. Ryan threw his hand up gently took Sirena's palm in his own, lacing their fingers.

He felt fear rush through him when a spark of that rage returned. For a minute he thought Sirena was going to finish the job. At least until Ryan just hushed him gently, like he had done on the previous times when Sirena had been caught up in a nightmare. He trembled slightly at first, but just like he had done, he eased himself, trying to control as much of himself as possible while trying to ignore the searing inferno of pain which was his shoulder at that moment. "That's one hell of a love bite." He muttered, before raising his hand to Sirena's cheek.

This was down to Sirena now.

And the blond made sure that he came through.

That cold glisten filled his eyes just as Elektra slammed her arms around him and pulled him away from Ryan. "I told you to stay away from him!" She snarled. "You're nothing but a venom to everyone! I told you to stay away from him! It should have been you in that alley! They should have raped you and left you for dead! But unlike him, no one would come looking for you! You'd be better dead!"  
"SHUT UP!"

The words screamed out of sirena as he shoved the girl off, running over back to Ryan as quickly as it seemed that Elektra had been trying to pull him away. His eyes locked onto Ryan's shoulder as tears streamed down his cheeks. His fingers reaching out slowly while his hands pushed down tightly onto the bites. "Oh god... oh god, what have I done. What have I done?" He whispered over and over.  
"Daniel!"  
"Elektra!" The boy snapped back, his eyes so dark that they looked on the verge of snapping back to the feral rage, making the girl back up slightly. Sirena waited till she seemed to have backed up enough before he turned his attention back to the boy. He looked pale. Weak. Exhausted.  
"It's fine. Nothing I can't handle. I'm not made of bloody porcelain you know." Ryan joked.  
"Daniel, he will only make you worse!"  
 _Daniel?_ Ryan frowned.

Another name to the list it seemed.

 _There's a time and a place!_ His thoughts screamed at him.

"Rose. It's time to calm down baby."

There was barely enough time to see Sirena's jaw drop open as the sound of a pair of echoing heels entered the garden, while at the same time Elektra eyes became the picture of the same anger Sirena's had been a minute ago when the boy whispered.

"Mamma."


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks to** **CharlieSMarts12 and** **Justice237** **for your lovely review! Thanks to everyone for the follows and favorite so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point.**

* * *

"Right, this won't hurt a bit."

"OW!"  
"See, right there? I lied." Elektra smiled falsely, her voice and eyes dripping with false sympathy.

Ryan glared foully at her as the girl had ripped away the blood dried shirt Ryan had used to cover himself with. His eyes bore into her like the sharp end of a knife would. "You know. You have got some real problems."  
"You're throwing stones in a glass house there you little weasel."  
"It was going fine until you had to stick your big beak in!"

Elektra let out a shockingly cold laugh as she watched dark blood drip freshly down Ryan's shoulder. Toying with him, making him wait, seeing how long it would be before he would be begging for her help, not realizing that Ryan wouldn't bow down to her. No if she broke his knees and his legs. Not if she punched him onto the ground. He would never bow to her.

"That's funny." She growled. "Because from where I was stood, if I hadn't come after you?" She launched out a hand, gripping the deep puncture marks of Ryan's shoulder and squeezing it, making the boy scream in his throat. "It would have been your neck next."  
Ryan let out a staggering huff, snarling under his breath as he kept his gaze locked with her, his chin raised as he would not back down. He would not bow to her. He would not be some servant. She was the puppet, he was the puppeteer.

The only person he would ever bow to would be Sirena. The only other human that he knew. He would not bow to some stringed toy! Never! He would never let her rule him! He would never let her destroy him! He had been hurt by far worse than some girl who was angry with the world! Who tried to hide the fact that she is a puppet just like everyone else, by dying her hair.  
The little girl, all grown up, so angry at the world because she had failed to save the only one left who she loved. She had failed to save Sirena because-

Ryan had to do a double take as he felt a hand smashing across his face.

He hadn't even realized that he had been hissing the words and spitting them into Elektra's face like a fatal venom, injected into the bloodstream.

His cheek stung violently, the nerves igniting like a flare of fire under his own touch as brought up his hand to feel the now tender skin. His eyes glistening darkly as he let out a small laugh, a grin spreading across his face slowly and his pearly teeth flashed in the cold and dim lit light of the bathroom.

He was sat on the edge of the bathtub, had been for the last ten minutes or so. Unable to willing hurt himself by pulling the shirt off of his body he used to hide the bleeding flow on his shoulder. His need for pure self preservation had always made him go against any action that would lead to him getting himself hurt. It was how he had managed to survive this long.

But even his cold laughter right now had Elektra taking a step or two back as she glared at him. "Poor little girl, forgotten by mommy in the pool of jewels and pearls." Ryan let out a sharper and colder laugh. not even caring that right then and there that blood was still creeping down his lithe chest and painting the floor. "Mommy didn't just screw up with one of you though, no. I'm guessing it's the mother. I've read up on your father. You have his brown hair, but you both share your mother's eyes. Albeit Sirena's are more intense and colder, but the presence is still there." Ryan purred the words, watching Elektra take step after step back, her rage replaced and obliterated by shock.  
"How did you-"  
"But no, you're trying to make up to Sirena what your mother did you both. You're trying to give him the mother that you both never had... well sorry, you never had." Elektra just stood there against the wall, while her puppet master was driving in the words only deeper, like a sharp blade or a bullet piercing slowly between her eyes.

The boy slowly stood, his eyes glistening with the cold and chilling thrill of power. Watching the girl coming apart, seam by seam. Of course he would have to repair the poor little puppet later, but sometimes you couldn't build... until first you destroy.

And Ryan had a hunger for destruction in that moment, that wouldn't be sated until he had fulfilled it's starved hunger.

As he slowly stalked forward in the cold light, ever slow step seemed to echo and bounce off the wall. "You forgot the most important rule of the game. Which is why you were never a player. Before you poke the beast, you better make damn sure that you can kill it-"  
"You little monster!"  
"It's funny that." Ryan laughed. "I always did get a good chuckle whenever some bloody idiot would call me that."

In the low light, Elektra could have sworn the boy's normally puppy dog brown eyes were nearly and completely pitch black.

"People often remember to scream monster, but they forget that it only broke out of the cage because they taunted it. Elektra, you've taunted it for far too long now."  
"Shut up!" The girl snarled, curling her fists as though that would do her any good right now.  
"Man, you reek of jealousy. That look of hatred you gave that woman who Sirena called Mamma? You have competition. But I guess that brings me a new question, because you see, your hatred of that woman, it wasn't just the same bitter hatred you have for your mother, but only jealousy fueled. So that brings me to question now, why does Sirena- oh sorry. Why does _Daniel_ , call her Mamma?"

He allowed his arrogance to shine through like a beacon, after now having gone so long without controlling or manipulating one of these pathetic puppets, that he had forgotten how much he had been holding it back to compete with Sirena. This was simply an onslaught. A complete destruction of Elektra, slowly, painfully, twisting her mind with facts and questions while Ryan unraveled her with as much agony as he possibly could.  
He would make sure that she suffered.  
SLOWLY.

"So your gold digger, whore of a mother." Ryan smirked, shoving his hands in his pockets as he walked forward. "Decided to not only walk out on one kid... but two. She didn't even seem to realize what a diamond she had dropped with the second one." He shook his head, grinning as he thought of Sirena. "The most precious diamond in this world and she left him!" His eyes snapped over to Elektra casually as he rose a hand. "Oh don't get me wrong, I understand why she dropped you, but Sirena? At least his Mamma didn't forget him-"  
"You son of a bitch-" Elektra snarled then fell silent when Ryan rose on the tips of his toes to have his gaze pierce into hers. His gaze so cold, so dark that Elektra was left speechless, only to stare into the pits of those seemingly black eyes. Ryan's face so cold as he abandoned his smile, his voice quiet but viciously slashing the girl, almost like with an invisible blade, cutting an invisible wound. "The breakdown. What was that about."  
"Like i'd tell you." She snapped. "I know my baby brother. He won't come within a hundred miles of you now."  
"On the contrary, you may be right at first of course. Poor Sirena, for someone who plays the game well, his beautiful eyes are burdened with such a conscience. Poor Princess. But anyway, eventually he will come back to me. I just know it."

He slammed out his hand onto the wall next to her, smearing his large and bloody hand print against the paint, his grin just growing wider. "Now, you're going to tell me just exactly what I want to know, or I'm going to leave a little bread crumb trail, which will have someone who really wants Sirena to come trailing for him." His eyes sparkled.  
"You wouldn't."  
"Oh, I think we both know that, I would. Because Sirena would think that I will know absolutely nothing about it." _Which I don't._ He chuckled inside his head, watching how Elektra was playing directly into his waiting palm. Her normal sense disregarded by shock of Ryan having known something which he shouldn't have, but had only caught from Sirena's soft whispered nightmares and the few seconds of a glimpse he had gotten into the boy's folder. _She must really be unnerved by this new woman, who ever she is._ Ryan thought.  
"Fine... you little weasel. If he ever finds out, he will never speak to you ever again anyway." She snapped, her eyes livid. "Before Sirena came here-"

 _Knock, knock, knock_

"Come in." Elektra called out, earning a brief glimpse at Ryan's wrathful glare.

"Ryan-"

The brunette took a surprised step back when Sirena's eyes locked onto his blood and crimson stained torso.

The blond just stood there, like all of a sudden his feet had sunken into the floorboards. His cold eyes seemed to hold something much more prominent now, much more than anything else he had ever shown. They were drowned with guilt, embarrassment, regret, pain, disgust though that was aimed mainly at himself and most of all, fear.

Pure. Fear.

"Sit down." Sirena whispered, his voice breaking slightly, almost sounding rather hoarse than it's usual collected self as he stepped into the room.

"Elektra, Mamma is waiting to talk to you." Sirena stated, not looking over his shoulder as the girl cast a glare to the floor.  
"Daniel you honestly can't expect me to-"  
"It's either you talk to her. Or I go with her, right, this, second." He enunciated, not even turning to look at his half sister.  
"Then at least do me the favour of calling her Persephone in front of me." Elektra muttered, slamming the door behind her and leaving both boys in the dim light of the bathroom.  
"Why is it, that we always end up in a bathroom, looking after the other?"

Sirena said nothing but only kept his eyes on the deep gouged teeth marks, deeply set into Ryan's shoulder. For however much that it hurt the brunette, Ryan could see just how much more it seemed to hurt Sirena.

The blond glanced over to the bloody hand print on the wall, his eyes studying the deep crimson smear, before looking back over Ryan's torso again. He said nothing, only self consciously adjusting the white shirt on himself, rubbing a hand carefully over his own exposed and pale bicep. He looked unsure for a second before he walked quietly over to the sink. He took an unnecessary grip on either side of it, staring down into the cold water as he soaked a flannel through, he splashed it around a few times, wringing it out before pouring in steaming hot water and filling the sink halfway after plugging it, then turning the water off.

Each movement was slow. Much more stretched out than it normally seemed for Sirena.

But as the boy made these cautious moves, he seemed to be humming gently. His fingers becoming more noticeably burdened with trembles. "Sirena?" Ryan asked out gently, slowly standing up from where he had taken his seat again till he was stood directly behind the barefoot boy. Sirena was still in his shorts but now his white bed shirt slopped down his shoulder, it being about two sizes too big for him. Ryan tried to reach out and rest his hand on the blond's shoulder but the blond just shot him such a dark look that Ryan took the message.  
That sudden look of fear in Sirena's eyes earlier, making a lot more sense.  
"You're not going to hurt me." Ryan whispered.  
"Could have fooled me." Sirena whispered, grabbing a bottle off the shelf nearby and placing it on the sink.  
"Believe me, I've tried enough times to tell you, that I'm beginning to think I can't." Ryan whispered, leaning closer and resting his head on the boy's shoulder, staring down into the reflection of the water with Sirena as both boy's watched the look in their own eyes.  
"You always try to read me... you never just ask me with a straightforward question?"  
"Would you answer it?" Ryan asked, surprised, looking over at the other boy.  
"Did you never even think to try?" Sirena asked gently.  
"No."

For everything that those two were or had been towards each other. Vengeful. Bitter. Angry. Blunt. Cold... they were honest. They spoke to each other in a language that they could only understand. The language of the game. They only knew how to read each other's honest lies. They only could see of one another what they didn't want to.

Sirena was witness to the coward.

Ryan was enlightened to the shadow.

"Checkmate." Ryan sighed quietly, blushing slightly as Sirena turned around and began to wipe away the drying blood from his chest. After only a few very carefully light placed touches, the sink was tinged a pale red with Ryan's blood and water. "You should have fought back." Sirena whispered, his eyes half shut and angry. His mask having been forgotten like Ryan's.

These two had just pushed each other into a game now where it felt like neither one of them was going to win. First they had been fighting to have the edge over one another and destroy each other, now they were trying to be the first one to back down and lose to the other.

"I wouldn't do that."  
"No." Sirena whispered. His eyes charging for a moment with bitter pain. "I know."

Ryan knew the boy meant nothing by it. It was just how he had to try and deal with the pain which possessed Sirena's mind.

"I'm on trial here because before here, I came from a mental asylum."  
"What?"

Ryan stared wide eye at the boy.

Sirena had spoken to Ryan's chest instead of looking him directly in the face. The blond's cold eyes were so drowned in pain that even Ryan for a moment wondered if the boy was better off to live in a mask than to have to look at himself in the mirror and see such old and destroyed eyes on a young face. But never. Never had anyone actually told Ryan a secret... willingly, especially after knowing just what he was like. Sirena could see Ryan for everything he was, every single fault could probably be alphabetically named by Sirena. But the blond had just told him a secret... of that magnitude?

Willingly?

"I'm in Elm Tree house on an eight month trial period, pending investigation on seeing how I interact with other people my age, or in general. Whether I'm safe or not to be allowed back into society or whether I'm supposed to go back to my... _treatment._ " The word sounded so bitter and cold on Sirena's tongue. "The granting of my release was on the basis that I don't show signs of slipping back into my-"  
"Enough." Ryan said quietly.

It all finally made sense now.

"It's so good of you to help me after I cut myself on those glass shards this morning." Ryan said gently.  
"What glass shards-"  
 _SMASH_

Sirena watched the falling of shards over the glass medicine cabinet fall from Ryan's elbow smash.

The brunette only smirked.

"I guess I shouldn't have been so angry after I got into a fight. I should have controlled my anger better afterwards, instead of punching the cabinet mirror. I guess I only brought it on myself when the shard fell and cut my shoulder. Right?" He said smoothly.  
"Ryan." Sirena stared with wide eyes, staring up at the boy in disbelief.

Both slowly rested their foreheads against one another, Ryan grinning down while Sirena only closed his eyes, letting out a small, trembling breath. "I'll make it up to you... I promise. Anything you want."  
"Anything?" Ryan joked, with a slight warning tone, showing that he would take Sirena's wording very seriously.

the blond said nothing for a moment, reaching into his pocket to pull out a small, shiny metal box... a lighter?

As Ryan inspected it, he came to decide that the small thing looked like a vintage american lighter. The symbol on the front of it seemed to be the symbol of a prince... or a card symbol maybe? "Jack of hearts?" Ryan said quietly.  
"You liked it?"  
"It looks... old? How long have you- OW SON OF A BITCH!" Ryan snarled.

Sirena frowned slightly and let out a trembling breath as he gently rubbed the antiseptic into the wound, cleaning it out carefully. "You would have kicked up a big fuss. Plus I thought it would be better than having a countdown?"  
"You're lucky you're pretty!"  
"You mean, I'm lucky, _you_ find me pretty." Sirena stated.  
"Anything?" Ryan asked again, now purring, smirking as an idea began to blossom in his mind.

Sirena rose an eyebrow at the sudden change back in conversation, but just nodded. "Anything."  
"Okay. Go and get dressed."  
"Uh... Ryan? I'm a bit preoccupied if you hadn't noticed, or did I hit your head too hard!" The boy muttered.  
"You said anything."  
"Fine." Sirena huffed, looking at the boy's shoulder and investigating now, how deep there were. Luckily the bleeding looked like it had slowed down. Sirena would have to stitch them later, but for now, as long as Ryan didn't move about too suddenly, then the boy looked as though he may just get away lightly with the bite.  
 _Maybe not so much next time. Remember, if they find out about your little psychotic break down, then you're going straight back to that hell hole.  
_ _I trust Ryan._ Sirena thought, knowing immediately the cold laughter which whispered back at him was half justified... he was going out on a big limb here with this boy.  
He just hoped it didn't come back and bite him in the arse.  
"So you want me to repay you by getting dressed? I didn't know my body was that bad." He stated.  
"Go and get dressed into something nice." Ryan smirked, leaning forward and placing a light kiss on the blond's lips. "Because I'm taking you on a date."


	12. Chapter 12

**Thanks to** **CharlieSMarts12,** **CatsAndWhiskers,** **Justice237 and** **Dark Heart 945** **for your lovely reviews! Thanks to everyone for the follows and favorite so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point.**

* * *

 _Why do I keep underestimating him and keep getting surprised by him._ Ryan thought as he looked over the neat stitching that Sirena had done on his shoulder. The blond had done a decent job of tidying it up for him. It still stung faintly if he moved too sharply, but other than that, it didn't seem so bad. But he found himself blushing whenever he thought about it now. Remember how it had felt with Sirena's fingers slowly moving across his chest, cleaning away the blood. Or even how the blond had just lent into and slowly placed his lips over the bite mark as gently as he could when he had finished stitching it.  
 _"I guess there's always going to be a part of me on you now."_ The boy had whispered softly. His lips lingering on it for a moment as he had stared at the angry crimson crescent moon marks.

Ryan had shuddered slightly under the boy's soft breath as he had felt it roam over the feverish skin of his shoulder. Sirena's eyes were so sad as they had said the words but there had been something about him as he had said them. Almost something... possessive. Something Ryan wasn't quite actually sure of. It was almost like there had been a small animal like thrill. Like the fact that Sirena had actually hurt the boy had somehow settled something slightly.

But all Ryan had to do was remember the look of that hatred when his blood had been smeared around Sirena's mouth. The boy looking like a hound just released to hunt down it's target, having gotten a good mark in but right there and then, ready to finish the job. Ryan still wasn't completely sure what exactly that had been? Some form of personality take out? A straight forward psychological break down caused by him? Or was it something else?

Reading someone was one thing.

Reading why someone did something, especially another game player like Sirena. That was something else entirely.

To read Sirena was like trying to look at a reflection in a pool of water while it was pouring down with rain. Excluding the moments where Sirena actually lowered his barriers to let Ryan look at him. Sirena was unable to leave that spotlight, just like Ryan had once said... in all Irony of the matter, considering the name that Elektra had used to explain Sirena's ' _Mamma'_ , It was almost like Sirena and he were something out of a story.

But now Ryan just had a problem... What could he do for a date for Sirena!

The blond was still as much as a mystery to him as he was a growing puzzle of collected pieces!

"I thought that taking a guy out would mean I didn't have to do all this waiting around like I would for a girl!" He called out, lent against the bedroom door. His voice was restraint so that the others wouldn't hear him, but loud enough that Sirena could.

This is how it had been for the last half an hour!

The blond had dived into the room and closed the door behind him, saying that he needed time to make preparations. Preparations for what? What could he really need to get ready for that would take-  
"Honestly, you have no patience! How can you be a game player?!"  
"Quite easily, it's because they're puppets and I'm their master-"

Ryan fell silent as he turned on the heel of his foot, not caring as his jaw dropped open at the sight in front of him.

Sirena stood there with a smirk as though butter wouldn't melt. His cold blue eyes glistened so brightly they could have been like diamond stars in the night sky, taking ownership of the world. His skin glistened and as a breeze caught behind him, moving his spikes of hair in their row of daggers, Ryan caught the scent of the strawberry and honey shampoo which the boy had used.

But his eyes were mostly distracted from the superior look of victory on Sirena's face, as Ryan's eyes moved over the boys outfit.

A big, black leather jacket, lined with a large fur collar and lining around the midriff where it cut off on the boy, around his wrists where the long sleeves just cut short and down the side outlining either line of the cold metal zipper. The boy had one a tight fitted white button up shirt. It was a strange thin, as Ryan looked at it, he stared at the dark and painted black lines which moved from the hem of it up, resembling like that of a black and barren dark forest. But on Sirena's lean and agile frame, it looked good.

To finish off, the boy had pushed his twig like legs into a pair of skinny jeans which showed just how lean he was. He had fed a black studded belt through the holes in the jeans but let them slope down to the side. The buckle of the belt, glistened as Ryan rose an eyebrow at it. It looked like a woman's head with snake for hair... hang on, wasn't that-  
"Ryan. My eyes are up here." Sirena smirked.  
"W-Wait! I wasn't- I didn't- I know it looked like-"  
"You're adorable when you blush." The blond laughed, slowly walking out the room and closing the door behind him, though he pulled a large black bag with him with a coat hanger attached.  
 _Hang on... Didn't I see him with that bag a while back?  
_ "It's Versace." Sirena purred.  
"What? Isn't that supposed to be really expensive?"  
"Oh Rye-Rye. I have my ways." Sirena smirked.  
"I suddenly feel really under dressed."

Ryan had simply grabbed fresh white shirt and jacket out of clean washing, then changed into a new pair of boxers and jeans. Even his shoes for god sake! Sirena was wearing-

Hang on a second...

Sirena rose an eyebrow as he glanced down, following Ryan's look.

"Problem?"  
"U-Uh... no... just surprised is all." The boy rubbed the back of his neck, not sure entirely what to say at what Sirena wore.

The boy had a pair of skin tight leather boots which moved up and stopped just beneath the top of his calf. "They're GLYNN, Jimmy Choo."  
"Excuse me?!" Ryan's jaw dropped if it could have any further. He was no expert on just exactly what clothes meant what. But he knew that anything like that, especially Jimmy Choo, were expensive! Like far more expensive than either he or anyone else in this entire home could actually afford! How the hell did Sirena have a pair?!  
"Good. I had them left over from when I last went to Comic Con, from the Cosplay that I did, and it's just so sad to see them gathering dust. So... Get on with it." Sirena smirked, curling his index finger over the hook of the coat hanger and lugging it over his shoulder. "You don't mind going out with a guy who wears boots do you?"  
"N-No." Ryan stammered.  
"Good. This night may just turn out to be entertaining after all. So... how does dancing sound?"

Ryan was still profoundly refusing a half an hour later as he was walking through the park with Sirena pulling him along by his hand.  
"No. Not a chance. Never. Not gonna happen." He stated, over and over. "I ain't dancing."  
"And what idea for this evening, did _you_ have planned then." The blond grinned.

With it still being quite early in the year, the sky was painted dark with the late spring. The clouds were dark and cold above them as though it was likely going to pour down with rain. However Sirena looked around as though it was the middle of summer, walking down the paths where the flowers seemed to grow the most, his fingers lightly gliding across the soft petals, plucking a rose from a bush and staring at it for a long moment.

Ryan simply plucked it from the boy's fingers, biting lightly into the stem and spitting out the thorns till the stem was completely smooth. He reached out and placed it gently behind the blond's ear, holding the boy's gaze for a moment before Sirena rose and eyebrow and blushed. "It suits you." Ryan shrugged, watching the same colour of the rose's petals move through Sirena's cheeks. "You do realize that I do have a boyfriend." He stated.  
"For now." Ryan said smoothly, watching a slight spark of something leap through Sirena's eyes.

Those words were more of a truth than any as they left Ryan's lips.

"Besides, how the hell are you going to dance, wearing those!" Ryan indicated to Sirena's boots as he stared at the heel on them. "I mean honestly! Most girls would struggle just walking in them! Never mind dancing!"  
"Well it's going to be a long one, this evening, that's why I didn't wear the Stilettos." Sirena teased. "Besides, don't worry about me. I'm more interested by far to see just how you will deal with dancing."  
Again... he says that. He keeps saying, _this evening._ Not, _this date.  
_ _To be fair, he probably, normally would say it quite a lot... when he's with King._ Ryan's thoughts purred.  
 _OH, why don't you just go and f-  
_ "Hey! Rye-Rye?"  
"Oh... sorry." The brunette lowered his head slightly, embarrassed to be caught like he had that deep in thought.  
"My point stands." Sirena laughed, shaking his head slightly.

Some people had glanced over at both of them as Sirena had pulled him along. Casting weird glances at their joined hands, or disgusted looks at Sirena himself. It's funny how they would quickly recoil back when Ryan glowered at them. Sirena would give a small chuckle whenever Ryan did that and let a smile edge at the corner of his mouth. It was strange, the mask was back in place, but now after Ryan had witnessed earlier, it was like he was seeing Sirena in a completely new light.

 _Mental Asylum?_

"So I may... have just lied, a teeny, tiny bit." Sirena admitted, bringing Ryan out of his thoughts once again.  
"Huh?"  
"Someone I know, wanted to meet and talk to you." Sirena's eyes let go of the child like joy they had been carrying for the last half an hour and were replace with a stone like impassive tone. No sparkle, no placed sense of joy or any emotion to cover up himself with. They were just, empty. Not in the same way that they had been in the house. But now, only like... Like they were preparing a guard?

"Don't worry, Ryan. I don't bite."

The boy snapped his head over.

Slowly from behind a tree, a pair of deep emerald eyes glistened in the shadows as the figure slowly stepped out. Just like Sirena, as they stepped there was a light echo of a clip from the heels they wore on their peachy toned feet. Their skin glistened with a brilliant warmth but Ryan just found himself glancing back to the beauty of Sirena's winter cold one. The woman reached up slowly, running her hand through the long pony tail of her hair till she shook it free. Her deeply rouge lips moving back into a cold smile which seemed... fairly familiar to Ryan.

Familiar because it was just like how Sirena would grin at him sometimes.

The woman wore a straight black business dress which cut off just at her knees and was wrapped around her seemingly as tight as possible to reveal her figure. Her black blazer over the top seemed to just compliment her outfit as laced her fingers in front of her, shaking her hair out around her till it fell in a curtain down her shoulders and around her sculpted face. The dark eyeliner she wore made the dark colour of her eyes burn with a fire which she seemed to be concealing as she looked over Ryan.

Her smile said that she was welcoming.

Her gaze said that she was going to crush him.

"Ryan, I take it?" She said gently. Her voice dripping with smooth and false kindness. "I've heard a lot about you."  
"Persephone." Ryan stated, forcing a smile. "Like wise, Elektra was very... vocal about you."  
"Oh, I expect so."  
"I wonder why?"  
"Human nature."  
"Never so simple."  
"Oh really?"  
"Yeah."

Sirena glanced back and forth quickly from the way the two were shooting comments to each other. "Okay, while you two have a competition on measuring to see who has the biggest dick. I'm going to go and smell the roses."  
"Language!" Persephone snapped, narrowing her eyes slightly at the boy. "And a bit more respect to your Mamma."  
"I didn't know she was here." Ryan grinned, earning the look a cold glare from the woman.  
"Rose honey, run along. This will be quick... Mamma has never broke a promise to you before."  
"Except to protect him?" Ryan chimed in sweetly.

Even Sirena widened his eyes, shaking his head vigorously at Ryan by this point, but only let out a long and exasperated sigh when Persephone repeated herself again. "Checkmate." He said quietly, his only warning to Ryan as to what may be about to come.

When finally the blond was out of earshot, the brunette woman turned her eyes back to Ryan, their hidden depths painting him with hatred though they were submerged behind a dark smile and a glisten in the dark light. "My little Rose has told me all about you... not as though he needed to anyway."  
"Isn't that sweet, _my_ Princess still talks to his Mamma. It's funny, actually."  
"What's funny." Persephone stated, his voice dropping the nice pretense it had put up, second by second.  
"A real mother wouldn't have let _Sirena_." Ryan kept emphasizing words, not caring about the glares that the woman would shoot him. "Into that alley." The boy let out a small laugh. "So, ironically, actually, on evaluation, you're kind of worse than his _real_ mother-agh-" His voice was cut off by the choking sound caught in his throat when the woman's hand shot out.  
"For my little Rose's sake, I won't leave you here for dead, like you did him. But if you get in the way, of him and King? If you get him put back in that hell hole I had to watch him suffer in? I swear, I will hunt you down, and the last thing you see before departing from this life, will be my face."  
" _A-Aw, a m-mother's love."_ Ryan cackled quietly.  
"You will not break up my family sewer rat." She snarled.  
"Y-You're right." Ryan gasped, his eyes shining darkly. "I'll tear it apart and obliterate it!" He laughed, dropping to his knees and coughing, retaining himself as he slowly pulled himself to his feet. "King, Elektra. I'll be more than happy to add you to the list of people I will prove wrong. Sirena is mine." He snarled, his eyes glistening with a dark joy.  
"You better watch your back little boy." Persephone whispered as she began to walk down the path away from him, with a swish of her hair as she listened to the cold cackle coming quietly from him. "I'm not an ordinary Queen player of this game. I play in a whole other league than your quiet little whispers."  
"Bring it on." Ryan grinned.  
"Well... Mamma hates you. I should have realized she wouldn't have stopped when she followed us out of the house."

So that's why Sirena had been so eager to pull him up the path on the way here, diving off the main track of the park and through the flower gardens.

Ryan glanced over, as Sirena walked up to him. "How much did you hear of that?"  
"You think I needed to hear it?"  
"Oh right..." Ryan nodded.  
"You insulted Mamma." Sirena observed, watching as Persephone glided away with her stabbing steps as she pulled her hair back into a pony tail. "She won't let you get away with something like that. No one insults Mamma without paying the price."  
"I can take her." Ryan growled.  
"No." Sirena stated. His eyes dead set with more amount of certainty, more certainty than the boy had even showed in himself in the theater. "No, you really, really can't."

They stayed in silence after that, Ryan walking just behind Sirena as the boy led the way.

 _Great... this is turning out to be one hell of a first date._ Ryan groaned, rubbing his brow to try and clear away the headache which was approaching him.

When they finally came to the end of the great park, Sirena came to a stand still, staring out across to the lake in the distance and pulling his jacket around himself closer.

They were here.

Men and women, boys and girls, all were out here right now in the great and large circumference of trees which the park provided them. Sirena reached into the bag and pulled out two small objects drawing Ryan's glance. "Masquerade." He said quietly, no longer catching the boy's gaze. "I thought that maybe it might have been a good idea. That it might have even turned out to be an okay night... Big thanks to Mamma." He sighed.  
"Mask on now."  
Sirena glanced over slowly, frowning slightly.  
"What?"  
"I didn't mean that one." Ryan stated, taking the black and gold trimmed mask out of the boy's hand before slowly putting it on. "You still owe me right?"  
"Listen Ryan, she's just ruined it-"  
"Only if you let her." The brunette stated.  
"You've effectively just put a death warrant on your head for half of the people here, and you want to dance!" Sirena exclaimed, staring at the other boy as though he was a complete madman.

Ryan rolled his eyes, slowly reaching out and placing the mask on Sirena as softly as he could. His fingers elegantly went to work tying a bow in the two strips of black silk which held their masks on, behind Sirena's head. His fingers glancing and slightly moving across the boy's cheek before he took Sirena's hand in his own and turned to look back out around them.

People were dancing in great gowns of white or black, the music being played by a band on the main stand while they and the people were only illuminated by the soft flicker of candles being placed around them all carefully.

Ryan turned slowly back to Sirena and bowed. "May I have this dance?"  
"I don't have much choice do I?" Sirena whispered in response, walking down the hill till both boys were stuck among the crowd. Ryan's hands slowly wound around Sirena's torso while the blond encased his arms behind Ryan's hand, his fingers lightly playing with the silk strands as the gentle music moved through them both. They were lost in a sea of music, adrift with others in waves of silk.

Ryan could understand why Sirena had chosen this. Being here right now, it was like being in something out of a fairy tale. The trees around them blocked out all sight of the outside world, the music was the only sound in their ears, and everyone was quiet, to focused on their partners, trying to maintain themselves. The outside world was forgotten, the only thing to focus on here was the music, yourself and your partner.

It was like they had stepped into a fairy tale.

"Laugh about it, and I'll stamp on your foot, and believe me. You think my teeth hurt you? These boots were made for walking and they'll walk all over you." Sirena warned as he watched the realization coming to Ryan.  
"I was going to say."

Ryan swept them both through the crowd, trying to make sure that he wasn't tripping over himself.  
"Hardly anything, if you think that is how you lead, in a dance." Sirena rolled his eyes. Their cold shade creeping out and standing out brightly against the shield of the mask.  
"I'd let you lead, but out of us two, we both know that would be me, Princess." Ryan smirked, watching as he coaxed that faint sparkle back into the blond's eyes.  
"Rye-Rye. I've been leading us since we started dancing!" Sirena growled, his eyes sparkling even brighter as he spun them both out of the way of an nearby couple. Ryan's eyes widened but the blond only spun himself out gently on the brunette's arms as the music around them seemed to change. The slow pace it had been forgotten and replaced when one of the players brought out a guitar and placed a quick paced tune.

Sirena spun himself back against Ryan's chest, making it look like the brunette, turning his gaze up slowly as Ryan just stared down a t him in complete surprise. Sirena was using Ryan like a prop! The boy used the brunette to show off the best of himself while all the time he was making it look like Ryan was the one in charge! "Okay... I think I need to take that comment back." He whispered, leaning his head down slightly as the space between their lips was infinitely small.  
"Gee." Sirena's cool breath smelt sweetly of vanilla. "You think?" Sirena sighed, before lacing one of their hands together and leaning back so far that Ryan thought he was going to fall forward onto the boy.

He was surprised to see that almost everyone else had mirrored them and the male partners, the leaders were leaning in to kiss their partner.

"Elektra. King. Persephone. Each of them think that you're going to crash and go back to that asylum!" Ryan growled under his breath, fed up now of all the others. "King, keeping you close as though you're some kind of puppet to him. Elektra thinking you can't even play the game any more! Your ' _Mamma'_ thinking that only she can get you through it!"  
"And you." Sirena whispered softly, half closing his eyes.  
"I think that you will prove all of them wrong. They don't know you."  
"Each have longer than you." He returned coolly.  
"Yet they can't see that you own the game." Ryan whispered. "You're strong Sirena... So much stronger than I first thought. You won't go back to wherever it is you was before here. Because you're a survivor."

That hung in the air for a moment. Sirena staring with wide eyes at the boy above him. His spikes of hair still hanging slightly back in the air from where Ryan still held him.

"You've just gone and got a target put on your head which is as good as having slit your own throat."  
"I don't care-" Ryan began but was silence by Sirena's look.  
"You've just gone and got a target put on your head which is as good as having slit your own throat." He repeated slowly.

Then a Cheshire Cat smile exploded across his face as his eyes shined like two mighty diamonds again.

"Let's see how you survive the night dancing with me first." Sirena whispered, then curled his hand into Ryan's shirt collar, slamming the boys head down and colliding their lips.


	13. Chapter 13

**Thanks to** **CharlieSMarts12,** **Dark Heart 945** **and** **Justice237** **for your lovely reviews! Thanks to everyone for the follows and favorite so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point. I have a pretty good idea what is going to happen in the next couple of chapters... and man are you guys going to seriously hate me *Evil laugh* But don't worry, neither of the boys will die. Nothing that simple *Evil grin***

* * *

"I told you to let me lead." Sirena rolled his eyes.  
"Yeah, well, no offence Princess. But in this relationship, let's take a wild guess at who's the more masculine one."  
"And what is that supposed to mean!"  
"It means! Look at those boots!"  
"Your feet managed to get quite a good one by the looks of it!"

Sirena was smirking, trying not to laugh at the look on Ryan's face as he had Ryan's arm slung over his shoulder, helping the boy to sit down on the hill while the others carried on there dancing. After that kiss, a faster song had come on, and of course the brunette had tried to show off! Which had caught Sirena off guard, resulting in Ryan getting under his feet and into the wrath of those heels.

The blond certainly hadn't been kidding when he said that they packed a punch. Ryan felt like his foot had been stabbed with a knife!

But honestly! After Sirena had kissed him, of course he had been caught off guard!

When Sirena had crashed their lips together, Ryan had nearly fell flat on top of the blond! He had felt Sirena's lips slowly moving against his and Ryan had to admit, the blond was right. It was certainly a hell of a lot different than when Ryan had gotten mouth to mouth. Sirena's lips were cool but warm, setting Ryan's body alight with an explosion he had never felt before, but only felt that he needed to continue.

Both had pulled back ever so lightly against one another, making sure that they went along slowly. Ryan wanted to be as careful as he could, for as good a front as Sirena did put on. He could feel just how truly tensed the blond was in his arms.

After a minute or so both pulled back, staring into each other's eyes.  
"Checkmate." Ryan smirked.  
"Oh shut it Rye-Rye."  
"As you command, Princess." He had chuckled.

But of course, his head had still been up with the clouds after that kiss.

Resulting in this.

"Remind me, next time I kiss you, not to wear heel boots." Sirena said to himself slightly more than anything as he sat next to Ryan, pulling his arms around himself and staring out across the specks of light which were the large clearing they were in. "Hang on, we're gonna need this." He pulled out an a blanket quickly and pulled over an umbrella.

Now night had fallen, it had become harder to see just exactly what the clouds were like above them. But judging from the fact that not one single star could be seen, Ryan guessed that maybe the chances were, they were gonna need an umbrella or two. "Uh... you realize it's gonna pour down don't you?" He wondered, looking over at Sirena's grin.  
"Of course."  
Ryan just looked around. "And you're gonna do nothing."  
"Absolutely not." Sirena laughed quietly, settling back on the blanket while he angled the umbrella so that it would cover both of them when that situation came around. He looked like a small child about to receive a gift on Christmas! That sparkle in his eye was due to no mask being worn, the smile on his face wasn't placed. Sirena was happy, excited. He was with Ryan, away from all the others who had such high expectations for him.

No Elektra who was always trying to make it up to him by now trying to be like her little brother's mother.

No Persephone who brought back more bad memories than essentially good. Who reminded him of a time when his life had gone spiraling down into hell.

No King who he was-

"Sirena?"

The blond blinked out of his thoughts.

The faint sound of rain pattering against the large umbrella above them was like it's whole own music, soothing, gently pushing back the oncoming coldness inside of Sirena's bones which had been about to claim him. Ryan's voice like a melody soothing back that pain, even more so when the brunette reached out his hand gently and brushed his thumb over Sirena's pale hand. "It's okay. You're here. It's just us two." Ryan said gently.  
"I shouldn't have done this... I'm with King. I'm in love with King." Sirena snatched his hand back. His eyes locked on the perfect line of dry grass opposed to the soaked blade which now took the brunt force of the pouring down rain. "I shouldn't have kissed you." He whispered softly.  
"I've spent so long... so long lying to myself." Ryan said gently, staring off down the hill of the park as he watched the people only laugh and dance more in the down pour. The band and their equipment was well sheltered underneath their stand, they just shrugged and carried on playing, changing from fast song, to slow song, from rock to pop, covering most genres.

Strange certainly for a masquerade ball... but then again. Ryan figured it was Sirena, the boy probably chose this location because of the specific reason that it wasn't normal.

"I spend a lot of the time actually believing that maybe I'm not a bad guy? That maybe that is that everyone else is pathetically stupid-"  
"Is there a point to this?" Sirena muttered, resting his chin on his arms which were wound around his knees.  
"Yeah. That I've spent enough time lying to myself, that it's too bloody easy to recognize when somebody else is doing it to themselves."

Sirena glowered over. "Don't push it pretty boy."  
"I saw the way that you were kissing King-"  
"Oh, I know. I enjoyed the look of despair on your face when you was." Sirena muttered.  
"You were kissing him with a need." Ryan whispered.

The blond yelped slightly but couldn't help it as he closed his eyes when Ryan's lips landed on his and he felt his body slowly lowering itself back down against the blanket, Ryan taking small pauses and kissing at the side of his mouth before caressing Sirena's lips again. The blond's cheeks just exploded out in a rose pink tinge as he wound his arms around Ryan's neck, staring up eventually at those puppy dog brown eyes. "See."

Sirena knew he couldn't look away.

The tinge over his body was out of this world. His heart was stampeding in his chest making it slightly hard to breath, but in a way so completely different than one of his attacks. Ryan was right... Sirena hadn't felt like that after being kissed by King, in years. He hadn't felt the rush of adrenaline through him that left him as open as a book. Whenever he kissed King he always found himself searching for something, searching for something that just wasn't there!

But that didn't change the situation.

"You know you can trust me." Ryan whispered, his fingers lacing with Sirena's as both stared back at one another, their kisses becoming longer, slower, calmer till Ryan just smiled to himself and laid next to the blond, staring out into the rain with him. "I don't know how we're going to explain this to the others in the home."  
"Well, we can't share a room... unless." Sirena glanced over to the large black bag he had brought with him.  
"Unless?"  
"We convince them that we haven't been on a date."  
"Yeah, they already think we're together." Ryan rolled his eyes pulling the blanket around both of them so they were cocooned together, staring out as rain poured down heavier. _Here he goes again... pushing himself into something he's not ready for._ Ryan thought, shaking his head. "Plus, what does it matter, it's only one date. Not as though we're-"  
"No because it would be wrong to go out with someone else when you already have a boyfriend, wouldn't it?" Sirena chimed.

There was something in his eyes... something almost bitter, towards himself certainly, but there was something else there as well. Something that Ryan couldn't quite distinguish.

"Oh fuck it." Sirena snarled, grabbing Ryan and flipping them over as he slammed their mouths together.

For half an hour they kept it up. Just lay there under the shelter of an umbrella in the pouring rain making out. Their hunger for each other, seemingly without any end. Only when the band finally gave out did Ryan just look over at the other boy, staring so deep into those cold blue eyes that everything else around him, sound, sight, the world, just seemed to slip away as he stared into those icy cold orbs.  
"Stop staring at me." Sirena murmured, his cheeks glowing brighter with a blush.  
"Not my fault you're beautiful Princess." Ryan smirked.

Sirena just sat up and slowly gazed out into the rain. "I think... we should call it an end to the date now." The blond pulled his arms around himself and gazed out into the pouring down rain. "Ryan... Listen I think that I need to-"  
"Before you say anything, just know that I'm not giving up on you Sirena." The brunette stated, slowly taking off his jacket and putting it around Sirena's shoulders.

Ryan glanced back at him with a small smile. "Not by a long shot."

With that Ryan left.

Sirena sighed and stared up at the dark sky above him. "I wish this would all just go away!"

 _Be careful what you wish for._

Far away though, over the distant side of town Persephone kept the hood of her coat up as her heels clipped loudly, echoing off the quiet of the concrete around him. People veered away from her whenever she rose her gaze to meet theirs. Her cold and vicious emerald eyes were hidden beneath the large black hood of her expensive coat. Her pure black umbrella shielded her from any droplets of the rain but still, she had a look which could have sliced the very sky above them open, had it been possible.

Her hand gripped tightly to the object in her pocket as she stormed towards the park she had left earlier. Her murderous look was so much complimented by her crimson smile that anyone would have run.

But as she watched a lone figure walking down the street, she didn't stop herself as she nodded at it.

Either side of the figure from the shadows, pairs of hands reached out and grabbed him, shoving him into a nearby alleyway and shoving a bag over his head.

She couldn't help but smile to herself moving on by, though out of her pocket, she tossed the knife she had been concealing without daring to look over, knowing that those she had brought with her would do the job.

It seemed to go on for an eternity before Persephone's orders were carried out.

The night was cold and damp as rain poured down more viciously.

Lightning lit the streets as the lamps seemed to all but fade.

The cold air was enough to set the chills in anyone's bones. The winter felt like it had returned back with a vengeance at that moment. Like the seasons had all of a sudden rebelled, but that wasn't enough. If it had been winter, then it was almost the worst they had seen it in such a long while.

Any person with some place to go, was snuggled up warm inside their apartment, under a warm blanket, resting peacefully and waiting out this storm. After all, with this cold, it was only a short while till this detestable stabbing rain would become an unbearable ice, cold dagger.

It was sad how even those who were homeless and burdened without lives were still in a lot more safety and warmth, cuddled up against each other in the dark sewers: hiding bellow ground, they still had more than the figure who was stumbling down the dim lit road and path of flickering lamps.

They had felt the full wrath of Persephone's anger.

Had the woman looked back, she would have been amazed to see the figure still standing.

So much went on under the cover of darkness and this was no difference.

It wasn't the first time that Persephone had set her children onto a brat or a puppet.

It wouldn't be a last time.

This was her city. She ruled it's streets, she ruled every square mile of it.

But all a city of darkness and deep misery. A place where pain is known so well.

As the figure stumbled, their hand reached out and grasped onto the fractured brick wall next to them. Their clothing was plastered down to their shoulders with a the colour of their shirt lost to the darkness of the night as it stuck to their form.

Their movements were sluggish at best as the thin figure struggled the simplest task of even walking. Their hair was hair was gone, completely shaven and sheared free, having been cut away. The thugs who had attacked had thought they had simply been embarrassing the body, not doing it to a still breathing boy.

They clutched their torso painfully as they stumbled forward; their vision swarming into a multitude of darkness and pain. Their eyes were lost without the light to identify them. Their fingers were numb as was the rest of their body... well not entirely. The figure kept one arm close to their chest as they seemed to limp and drag the right half of their body as they struggled but pressed on further.

After all... sometimes instincts of survival are stronger than what we give them credit for.

As the figure dragged them self forward, they didn't notice the imprint that they had left on the wall behind them, where they had lent.

A imprint of a crimson hand which still dripped down onto the floor.

How long had they been walking now? An hour? Two? A minute? Had they run long enough? Had they finally broken out of sight and away from them? Were they still around?!

He whimpered slightly, flinching at that thought.

The moment a new car headlight flashed along the road, they ducked within an alley way and crouched in the shadows. As the light momentarily flashed over the figure, it came clear to see that they were only a boy. But even so, their face was coated and soaked in a river of blood from the various cuts and slices left across them. It was impossible to distinguish much if anything about them.

Imagine that though: coated in a river of your own blood and running away from a life you should never have been put in. Running away from those who had tried to capture him and rip him apart and kill him. But what were his options now? Could he run? If they came back could he get away?

He tried to push himself into a small jog but cried out in agony holding his chest tighter but feeling a scream rip into his throat as his hand moved to his back. His clothes were left into shreds, sliced violently, now coated in thick crimson and mud from the ground. He could feel his own life source streaming down his leg, the feeling in the nerves around it screamed out, begging him to stop. To just collapse and die on the cold ground! But he couldn't. He just let out a huff of breath, staggering on further and further.

At one point left with no other use than when his slick hand slipped on the wall and for ten minutes, he had to drag himself through the crap of the alley way. People looking in and hearing his moans of agony but not seeing him, thinking he was just some other junkie homeless person, groaning out now that they were out of their dependency.

What would be the use even if they did stop to help him?

He was as good as dead now anyway.

He stared up towards the storm and down pour of rain, letting the sick metallic taste mingle with the bitter salty taste of his tears which streamed down his cheeks, before he hauled himself to his feet.

This is what he got.

Staggering down a street, feeling his breath slip away as every drop of freezing rain brought him one step closer to passing out.

Or at least he wish it would.

It would mean this expanding pain in his torso would finally give up and he could be free of the agony.

Eventually, his body did give in and his legs collapsed, him falling back against the wall, feeling the cold bricks tear more into whatever damage it was that had been done to him.

As cars passed by, the boy tried to get out of his crouch but paused as he no longer could take the pain.

The damp shadows, shifted as slowly another figure became clear in the shadows. "Hey kid? What you doing out here by yourself?" The figure fixed the boy with a confused look as the boy was just paused there; unmoving. "Kid?"

He watched as slowly the boy began to slump forward and fell into a puddle of ice cold water. "Hey!" The figure became clear as the in the light he seemed like just another kid. About fourteen, thick golden mess of hair and cracked glasses on a pale face. "What's wrong-" He paused as he crouched next to the boy and saw the pool of water beginning to become tainted crimson. "Jesus Christ." He whispered. "SOMEBODY GET AN AMBULANCE!" He screamed onto the street as a few people were strolling by.

Somebody pulled out their phone and quickly began describing the area.

The taller boy leaned down and looked into the collar of the boy's cloths but there was none.

He grabbed the boy's pocket searching for anything that he could use to identify this boy. There was a wallet in the boy's pocket and a busted phone but both were completely doused in blood and unusable.

He looked over to see where the blood was coming from and saw the crimson, staining the sleeve. He quickly rolled it up to reveal, deep slices with razors still partially sticking out. Then at the boy's back.

The homeless boy simply paled, his eyes widening as he just looked on with horror at what had been done. The damage and carnage made.

"SOMEBODY! HELP!" He called and went back to cradling the injured boy's head in his lab as he tried to bring some warmth. "Hang in there kid!" He whispered as the distant sound of sirens filled the blocks of buildings.


	14. Chapter 14

**Thanks to** **Thanks to everyone for the follows and favorite so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point. We're in for a bumpy ride with these next few chapters. Hope you ready: warning dark themes to proceed.**

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The doors of the hospital corridor were slammed wide open as the doctors and nurses ran with the stretcher bed. "Name!" The doctor demanded as he set up a morphine drop and was quickly going over the symptoms as fast as he could.  
"John Doe." The nurse used the code name for: _Unknown patient name,_ quickly pushed a heavier set of doors open as she parked the bed into the emergency room. "Extreme blood loss, signs of hypothermia, weak pulse. Cuts on the left arm which seem self inflected. Deep stab wound on the chest as well as to the back. Extent un known."  
"Get the shirt open, I want to get an idea of the heart beat. I want a drip set up immediately and-"  
"He was holding his torso." A voice interjected and all turned around to see the ratty boy from the alley way, stood halfway into the door entry. His eyes locked protectively on the kid. "He was just walking aimlessly and-"  
"Save it kid for when the police get here." One of the nurses said calmly then gasped as she caught sight of the boy's chest.

Thick, deep purple and large bruises were covering the boy's rather thin torso. His ribs were showing through his skin from the fact he looked starved. Along the bruises were large marks along the torso which looked suspiciously like fist prints, while along each rib was a matching slash that looked dangerously deep and close to being something fatal. "Dear god..." She gently began to ease the razors out the boy's arm as they compressed the chest lightly to try and stem the blood, and began dealing with the wounds. "I think... I don't know what to think." The nurse whispered, staring absolutely horrified. "W-Who the hell would do this to a kid! He looks barely older than my son had been when-" She shook her head. No time and a place. She had to focus right now. She had to focus on making sure that this boy got his chance to fight. "Get the surgeon down here and prepped for emergency theater now. They may have a hell of a case on their hands here." She whispered as she looked back at the boy.

Then if that wasn't bad enough, they had shaved him. The boy's face looked impossibly older now, the thick black and purple bruises around his eyes looked as though they couldn't have gotten darker if the attacker had tried more!

The slash marks, classic knife work, she had operated herself on more than enough people to know the signs.

Then there was the case of the these bruises. She measured her hand up to the imprints out of interest. They held some resemblance in size. But the fingers imprints looked my grubby... more butch and yet they had her thin feminine resemblance but that's where it ended. The actual palm imprint as larger and had left a deep impact bruise on the boy.

On closer inspection as the nurse looked over the boy's body, she came across thick bruises around his upper arm as though he had been grabbed roughly. The skin was slightly twisted and deeply disturbed. "Someone was trying to get his attention." The nurse murmured. She tilted the boy's head back gently as others kept rushing around him trying to keep the boy alive and breathing. They weren't sure at that point whether his lungs had been punctured or not in the attack.

His heart was weakening and now it was a fight to warm him up and keep that heart beating strong.

The worst shock came when she looked and saw a deep purple under the boy's chin and neck. "He was strangled... or grabbed painfully at the least." She tilted him over and looked at the deep lining of scars across his pale skin. "And shove up against something sharp or rough... like a wall."

But then her eyes locked on the real damage of the back as she half turned him. "Oh my god."

The Doctor looked over and stared just as horrified. The people around the bed taking a moment to step away and stare in collected horror at the slash marks, the boy's skin was still too deeply soaked with his own blood to make out much of a distinction about the marks themselves but there was enough showing that they could all see the carnage the boy had been left in.

The moment the nurse ran her hands over them, she heard a grunt of pain and a sharp intake of breath as the boy's eyes began to flicker open slowly. "Hey champ!" She turned him back over, making sure that some one was there to support him on his side. She pushed a smile as she looked down to his terrified face. "It's okay. You're okay now." The boy just began to flail about till the doctors secured his shoulders and the nurse began to whisper softly to try and calm him down.  
"Wh-Where am I!" He exclaimed as he stared around at the passing faces of the doctors.  
"You're in the hospital. You were found on the streets-"  
"No! You got to let me go! Just let me bleed out! Or something! Anything! Just let me go!" He screamed violently and thrashed trying to break their grip. "Stop the pain! Just kill me already! KILL ME!"  
"We got to sedate him." The doctor declared as he moved to the side and began to fix a syringe.  
"No! you can't." He screamed. "NO! THEY WILL FIND ME! JUST LET ME DIE! OR LET ME RUN!" His voice shook as it was so close to breaking. "THEY WILL-" His eyes glazed over as the doctor injected him.

"T-There sweetie." The nurse cooed. She ran a hand over his soaking cheek and watched his eyes begin to droop. "Don't worry. We're not going to let anything happen to you here. You're safe here with us. I promise I won't let anything happen to you."

She sighed deeply as she looked back over to the Doctor as he spoke up. "Bind his arms down. Keep him on suicide watch for the next twenty for hours... and someone get the police here or on the line." He looked around as everyone paused, still slightly saddened and horrified by the sight in front of them and what they had just heard. "NOW!" The doctor snapped.

The nurse stood there for a minute, looking over the extent of the damage, helping easing the boy out of his clothes as he was prepped for surgery, before she rushed out the room and down the corridor.

She quickly took hold of the office people who were working away furiously trying to keep all the patients work in check. It was a difficult work career but when you're a doctor, you reap the benefit of those you help. Everyone here in the hospital was partial towards the safety and keeping the patients alive.

But right now, what mattered was the young boy who was sat in that room, wishing he had died rather than face his life any more.

Who could do that to a kid?!

Her mind seemed to be just branded with the damage and the carnage of what was left of the boy's body. His right leg had been slashed violently, more surface damage than anything but there seemed to be quite a bad break to the bone. She had known that from the horrifying angle it had been bent at when she had first lowered him onto the bed and sped him through to the emergency room.

How had the boy even managed to walk on it!? From what she had heard of other boy's story, the patient had been stumbling through an alley way on it.

As the desk lady placed the phone down and began typing away furiously at the computer, she glanced up slightly before going back to typing up her latest report. "Tough night Christina?" She asked politely but showing no recognizable expression on her face that the nurse could make out. Not that the nurse cared at that moment.

"You have no idea." She took the phone quickly and held down to the line system. "Yeah... hello?" she couldn't help but glance back in direction of the room as the light for surgery went on. "I need the police?" She paused as she looked down the hall. "We're going to need them here as soon as possible.

She sighed deeply and placed down the phone as she stepped back and rubbed her forehead, from the oncoming migraine. _Okay, Okay._ She thought, _focus on the job at hand._

Christina glanced around and saw a few people glance down the hallway following her gaze to emergency room.

The moment one woman caught her gaze, staring at her, she turned away sharply and rose out her seat before walking out the exit. "Hey... who was that woman?" She looked back to the lady sat at the computer who shrugged in response before speaking in a bored tone.  
"She came in, when those two boys did... I thought she came with you in the ambulance."

Christina frowned for a minute and shook her head. "We're waiting on the arrival of police, if you could please have the attention to notice them, I'd be very grateful indeed!" She snapped, her eyes fiercely showing the anger at the secretary's impassive and not bothered tone. "As soon as they get here, call me... If you see that woman come back, let me know okay?"

The secretary nodded as she too now followed the sight of the woman out the hospital.

 _Something wasn't right here._

She turned sharply on the heel of her foot before storming back down the corridor to the emergency room, only to be blocked off by the doctor as she tried to enter. His face was grim and his eyes set hard. "What the hell are you doing?! You have to let me in there!" She argued.  
"Christina, this one is a little too close to home for you, don't you think?"  
"Are you questioning my ability to work?"  
"Yes, very much so. Go and see what the other boy had so say. He looked pretty shaken up too."  
"I swear Cortez, one of these days." She growled.

The homeless boy was nearby. Now in the clear light of the hospital, his pure golden blond hair glistened as did his sad eyes, they looked rather dark to her as she looked over him. He was a malnourished looking boy, rather lanky in his body form. His clothes hung off of him, but they looked torn and covered in filth anyway. He was sat in a chair, his eyes locked directly on the light of the emergency room, his gaze seeming to hold the weight of the world as he tapped his foot. "H-He's going to be okay isn't he?" The boy asked quietly.  
"I don't know." The nurse stated, her eyes tracing over him. "I really don't. He's sustained enough injuries which would most likely kill anyone else. We need to see how much damage there is on the inside, then maybe we can make a better guess. It just comes down to how much fight is left in him too."  
"I'm so sick and tired of seeing people die." The boy whispered. "I can't see another one die. Not again."

The nurse paused at that, watching tears slowly free themselves from the boy's eyes. She knew in her gut that this kid was certainly not the reason that their John Doe patient was in that state. She could tell the difference between a liar and someone telling the truth as easy as she could breathe. She knew it when someone was genuinely hurting. This boy's eyes were broken, pained.

He knew loss, just like she knew the loss of her own fourteen year old son.

"What's your name kid?"  
"Thomas. Thomas James."  
"I'll stick with Thomas if that's okay?" She asked, and watched the boy nod. "What happened out there?"  
"Like I told you guys earlier!" He glared, his eyes looking as though they were ready to drown in their own sadness. "I found him out there in the alley. I didn't realize it was him! I didn't know." He sobbed, ducking his head into his hands.

He had enough of all this. He had seen this so many times before. The streets were being filled with more and more blood lately. He had seen it since he was nine. A victim of his own abuse. But once again he had failed in saving someone else. Just like he had failed at saving his best friend five years ago. "Here, let me take a look at you." The nurse said gently. "Do you have any parents?"  
"No. They threw me out a long time ago."  
"You realize I'm going to have to call social services don't you?" Christina sighed. "Listen, I know a decent place, they're a good home. I'm sure considering the circumstances that they will take you in. I have to give them a call in the morning anyway... if you want to come and get a hot drink, the boy won't be out of theater for a couple of hours at least. No point in you catching a cold either, you need some warm clothes."

Thomas reluctantly looked up at her, but nodded eventually.

"A hot shower, some fresh clothes, a bit of grub and drink." Christina smiled, her motherly nature taking over quickly. "Then, we will see about our patient in there." Her thoughts reeled back to the woman in the lobby, then the horror she had just witnessed of the boy. "I have a few questions I want answered."  
"He had this on him." The boy held up a shredded piece of clothing and the blood soaked wallet. "Maybe you can use it to identify him?"  
"Thanks." The nurse smiled kindly. "I promise, I'll do my best."

That night was one of the longest nights that she had ever known in her entire career.

The next day came, still with the storm of rain, lingering in the air. Rain poured relentlessly and seemed to have no sight of stopping any time soon.

Mike sat at his desk, rubbing his brow as he spoke into the phone. "Yes. Yes. I understand it's urgent, of course we can take him... Yes the circumstances seem to be difficult. I'll be around myself in less than an hour... uh huh... yeah what hospital was that again?" He paused then smiled into the phone kindly. "Yes, thank you. I'll see you soon, Christina." He placed the phone on the receiver and sighed.

May-Li glanced up from her desk, her dark eyes alight with intrigue at Mike's tired and slightly sad looking expression. "What was that about?"  
"New boy, social services decided to put him directly into our care."  
"I kind of got that much." She smiled, tying her black hair back into a ponytail and adjusting her dark green jumper, leaning forward slowly and lacing her fingers. "What I meant was, why a hospital?"  
"Seems, he was found on the streets with a boy who had been attacked. The name he gave was... Thomas James. Not in our system so he must be new, but considering the circumstance I thought maybe it would be better to go and speak to him directly? Try and make it a bit easier, he had a rough night. I think he could do with a bit of a kind hand."  
"You're the man for the job. I'll hold down the fort while you're gone." She teased, both perking their heads up as they heard a knock at the front door.  
"I just hope that he's okay too. From what I've heard on the phone, the boy was in quite a bit of bad shock last night. He wouldn't even leave his friend's side." Mike sighed a little sadly and fixed his shirt before grabbing his coat.

He strolled out into the hall with May-Li still on his tail. "See that Sirena is okay? He's been quiet the last couple of days. I think the teasing a few weeks back got to him a bit. I think it will help, especially coming from you. It may help to have someone he can relate to?" Mike suggested.  
"Of course, anything I can do to help. That age is hard enough, never mind-"  
"Excuse me? Mike Milligan is it?"

Both adults did a double take as they had opened the door and were both looking towards a tall man. Her wore his uniform which looked in brand new condition, his eyes were a little sad though they seemed to be strictly on business at that moment. He had taken of his cap and had it secured under one arm, but he looked between them.  
"Uh... yes that would be me?" Mike said slowly, his face a picture of confusion as to why the officer was here.  
"I've just come from the local hospital. I was wondering if you could help me could tell me, who you believe these to belong to." The man slowly held up a back with a crimson tainted, pile of what seemed to Mike and May-Li to be shredded clothes while in the other bag the man held, was a crimson soaked through wallet with a small clasp on... hang on? Weren't those-  
"Yes, they belong to one of ours." Mike frowned at the large R which was on the wallet. "Where did you find them- Is everything okay?"  
"It seems that these items were found on a boy who was taken into the hospital last night." The officer stated.  
"Wait... those are Ryan's aren't they?"  
"WHERE THE HELL IS HE?!"

All looked around as Elektra stormed down the stairs, her hair pulled back into a messy curtain as she glowered at both Mike and May-Li. "Where is the little weasel! I'm gonna kill him! WHERE'S RYAN!"

She paused as she noticed the officer, she had the decency to look sorry for a moment before going back to glaring at Mike.

"I need to go. Now." Mike stated, taking a step out the door, just for Elektra to grab his arm as she narrowed her eyes. Her grip like a vice on the man. The officer just rose his eyebrow glancing between May-Li who was telling Elektra quietly to let go, but the girl was having none of it. "Where is the little sleaze bag!"  
"You think that it was him in the accident last night?" Mike asked quietly, the coincidence of what he had just heard, the fact the officer had just come from the local hospital and that the initial on the wallet was Ryan's initials, were far too much for him to believe to be a mistake.  
"Sir, I cannot talk more, you must accompany me to-"  
"So what's happened to the little douche bag? He got himself into some trouble? Good! He deserves everything that's coming to him! Tell him to stay the hell away from Sirena!"  
"Elektra-"  
"No!" The girl snapped. "I've had enough! If it's not Ryan it's that cow, stay away from my little brother!"  
"EH! What the bloody hell is going on down there!"

All turned their heads up, their jaws gaping slightly as Mike stared at the brunette on the staircase.

He was dressed only in a pair of shorts and hunched over the rail, he had been awoken from his bed by hearing his name being shouted... well, since it was Elektra's gob. Probably half the neighborhood had been awoken by it. "Ryan?!"

Mike sprinted up to the base of the stairs. "You're okay?!"  
"Of course I bloody well am, except maybe I'm deaf from foghorn Fred over there." He growled, nodding his head at Sirena as he rubbed the sleep out of his eye. "What the hell is going on!?"  
"Is this the young man?" The officer frowned, not seeming to understand what exactly was going on himself at that point.  
"Hey!" Ryan held his hands up. "Whatever it was, it weren't me alright?"  
"Are these possessions yours?" The officer stated bluntly.

The brunette cursed under his breath, knowing this meant that he wouldn't be getting the lie in that he wanted, but instead now that his whole day was going to start early because of something he mostly likely, probably, almost certainly... okay, maybe uncertainly, may have or may not have done.

"Who's he and why is he here anyway?" Ryan grumbled, still half asleep.

But when he saw the plastic bag containing his wallet in, he couldn't help but frown to himself, or at the broken phone next to it in the bag. "That's mine alright. I was looking everywhere for it last night! I think I must have left the stupid thing in my jacket-"

The boy glanced over to the blood soaked pieces of cloth in the other bag.

His eyes beginning to widen slowly.

"Which I left... on."

He snatched out the bag with his wallet in and picked out the phone as quickly as he could, staring down at the obliterated screen.

A Samsung galaxy three mini...

Elektra paled.

"Which I left on Sirena." Ryan whispered, his eyes widening as he slowly looked up at the officer. "Why did you say you was here?"  
"These were found on a boy in an alley last night... He's now in hospital after being what we presumed as assaulted and attacked in an alley-"

The moment the word hospital had left the officer's mouth.

Both Ryan and Elektra had been out the door like a bullet out a gun.


	15. Chapter 15

**Thanks to** **Justice237, CatsAndWhiskers, Dark Heart 945** **and** **CharlieSMarts12 for your lovely reviews!** **T** **hanks to everyone for the follows and favorite so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point.**

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Deep grey clouds had become even heavier through the sky. They seemed to carry the weight of the world upon them as they were eager to cry and let their burden free. The cold breeze that coursed through them seemed to be relentless in biting deep into the bones of everyone which now stood, planted in the waiting room of the hospital. It wouldn't be long before the oncoming storm would hit them, most places were already preparing for a rough week ahead, but now the storm seemed to have just increased. The down pour which had last night seemed to beautiful was but simply a reflection of inner turmoil with Ryan felt now.

This storm was going to be unrelenting in it's approach. People had already begun to block up their homes and grab any amount of spare food that they could. They knew that this was going to keep them in for a couple of weeks... if they were lucky. It wasn't often that people around here got a warning about such intense storms, but with the warning finally have come to them, they weren't going to ignore it.

But nothing. Nothing was going to stop what happened next.

The doors slammed open madly as Ryan sprinted through the building.

Elektra and Mike were close up on his heels, the man panting for his breath, while Elektra's eyes were set so darkly that she hardly seemed to be able to break away from the glare she pointed at each sign, at every person who gave her a double take as she was still in some jeans she had grabbed before leaving and a jumper.

Ryan however didn't stop as the people at the front desk looked at him as though he was mad. "Sir! Please! Sir!" The front desk called after him but it didn't matter. His eyes were set determined on the emergency room not that far away from them. The walls were a pure and clean white though they had large cases where paintings hung a few pictures... was that all they had? The best they could give to those who were confined to this damn building? A few paintings of the outside world? Meadows and fields. A Forest with a large creek moving through it. The tantalizing reminder that these people may never see the real thing any more.

Ryan made a mental note that he hated this place with every ounce of his being.

"Ryan! Wait!" Mike called after him. "Elektra! You too!" He called out, and looked between the two of them who were sprinting away faster than he could keep track of.

The woman behind the desk looked at him sympathetically as she straightened her uniform. "Is your son come to find his girlfriend?" She wondered. But when she saw Ryan darting towards the male ward she raised her eyebrow and gave a thin pressed smile.  
"He's not my son." Mike shook his head. "We're here for-"  
"WHERE IS HE!" Elektra snapped.

Mike shot her a serious look and the girl backed down slightly, sealing her mouth but still locking a glare on him.

"He's looking for his friend Sirena." Mike stated.

The idea of Kyle having a girlfriend sounded absolutely ridiculous to him! Actually... He couldn't remember Ryan showing any interest in a girl. He always seemed so quiet and drawn into himself... Well actually, he couldn't remember Ryan caring for someone so much as he has ever cared for this Sirena. Mike had never seen Ryan have such a desperation, such a dark and ferocious look in his eye.  
"Sirena?"  
"Last night. A boy, they said he was attacked. He came in here with another homeless boy." Mike explained.

"Oh the John Doe... yes, I'm afraid he isn't out of theater yet. They're still operating on him. He's on..." She looked down at her computer and began typing away as she was searching for the information.

With every push of each key, Ryan felt his anger and frustration rising. He was losing his patience with this woman very rapidly. He looked around for the first time getting the details. The waiting room was a deathly pale white. It's paint covered every inch except for the hard cold floor which was a pale emerald with small random curves to try and make it look pleasing to the eye.

It was as pleasing to the eye as a knife to the back was.

Large boarders covered the wall with leaflets about the physio courses and the types of treatments that were available for those who were looking for it. But right now all that Ryan was looking for was his boyfriend. Not some stupid half hearted course. Not some waste of time moron trying to make him suffer as he was waiting for some damn stupid bit of information!

The secretary smiled at the screen and looked back up at both of them. "Ah yes, he will be on ward fourteen. Take the stairs and-"

Mike and Elektra barely had time to turn as the staircase door slammed shut.

"He must care for him very much." The nurse smiled before going back to her work.

What have I been missing? Mike wondered in his head, glancing over to Elektra who was pale but now stormed after Ryan like a predator going to make a kill.

Could Mike have really been missing what was directly in front of his eyes?

Each step was like a eternity of a paradox for Ryan.

Ward after ward. But not the one that he wanted! He screamed out in frustration more than once, earning the looks of a few doctors.

But even as he came crashing into Ward eleven he stopped and did a double take as he looked around at the long line of rooms which stretched down on either side of him. A lot of the curtains were closed giving the people inside their privacy. A clipboard hung on the outside of each room, some stat sheets outstretched and view able for the doctors and nurses to read.

A line of lights above led down the long stretch of the room, the smell of flowers being left for loved ones was clear, as was the sound of machines all around beeping, even from inside the rooms, Ryan could hear the slow long drawn out weak beeps.

"Oh... sorry, excuse me? Are you here for-"

Thomas barely had any time to react as he curled his fists into the boy's shirt and slammed him against the nearby wall. He had been about to call out but the look in the brunette's eyes told him that if Thomas did that, then it probably would end with him being thrown down the flights of stairs. The boy looked as though he was ready to commit murder!

And Ryan felt at that moment, he just may do that.

His grip tightened even further into the boy's shirt before he slammed him back against the wall. "Where. Is. He." He enunciated, coldly and slowly.

Ryan watched as the boy's throat quivered slightly while the dirty blond haired boy stared with wide eyes. "He's still in theater-"  
"AGH!"

Ryan watched the boy wince as he Thomas was slammed back against the wall and slowly slid back into the chair he had been in before Ryan had grabbed him. He wore a fresh white shirt and some shorts, while Ryan only had a jacket that Elektra had thrown him and his shorts still on.

 _Calm down. You're not thinking straight!_ His thoughts shouted at him.  
"Listen... you should sit down." Thomas sighed, reaching out a hand and placing it carefully on Ryan's shoulder only to get shrugged off.

 _Calm down! You need to think straight! It's going to do you no good getting this worked up! CALM DOWN!_

He just snarled at himself over and over again till he slammed his head against the nearest wall and his eyes sealed shut.

 _"You realize that you've put a target on your head."_

Ryan froze as that thought crossed his mind.

 _Explain._ He snarled to himself.

Everything seemed to peel away from him, time slowing down as he dived deeply into his thoughts.

Here he was again, trying to make so much more sense of just exactly what had happened.

 _Sirena was attacked._

That one fact seemed to light up the entire darkness of his mind and have his blood lust running so deeply that for a moment he felt like he was going to go savage.

In his mind he stood at the vortex of images and mess of sentences which were his thoughts. _What happened. Sirena was attacked. How badly? Don't know yet. Who could attack him and why?  
That's the question._

That became highlighted in his thoughts.

 _Sirena attacked. What motive? None. Why?_

 _What was found on him._

 _My jacket and my wallet._ Ryan thought.  
You have a target on your head. That's essentially what Sirena had promised.  
 _Motive found._

But Persephone would never harm her little boy. The bitch may have been psychotic, but she would never have-  
 _THE JACKET!  
_ _The jacket._ Ryan eyes widened. _Sirena was wearing the jacket that Persephone had seen him in only earlier that day! It had been pouring down with rain so of course it would have been near enough impossible to see who was under the hood of the jacket!  
_ To any onlooker, it would only have looked like Ryan with his hood up!

His eyes burst wide open.

 _This is my fault._ He thought.

His head rested against the smooth of the wood which bordered the walls, as he let the cold surface cool down the burning tears on his eyes.

"Poor kid huh... Can't believe what's happened to him."

Ryan's head snapped around as the double doors of the ward opened up to two doctors and a nurse pulling a large bed in.

There on the bed rested what resembled a boy to some extent.

His head was nearly completely bandaged leaving only his face exposed which was blackened with bruises and large cuts across his lips, cheeks and around his eyes. The boy's right arm and left leg was set in a heavy plaster while his torso was bandaged under a hospital gown. "Poor kid. I heard that even shaved his body... after they had finished with him. Large cuts and trauma to the head. Fractured eye socket. Broken arm, leg, ribs and a severe concussion and on top of that, all that swelling and trauma to his brain... the kids lucky he's still breathing. If that weren't enough, you should see what the bastards did to his back and front. I don't think he's going to be waking up for a while." The doctor sighed sadly.

 _Oh...god...Please no._ Ryan thought as he felt vomit stirring in his gut.

He wanted to vomit as something began to dawn on him.

"I can't believe he is even still breathing." The doctor admitted.

"Well he is. That's all that matters." The nurse growled coldly. Her eyes were slightly dark as she bore into the two doctors.

"You're a bit to close on this case." The doctor sighed softly. "You shouldn't be here. Why don't you go and take the rest of the evening off. Don't worry. He's in capable hands."

"What was his name again." The second doctor wondered.

"Sirena!" Ryan screamed.

He bolted forward and trembled as his hands wrapped around the bars of the bed rail. He felt as though he was going to vomit every last thing in his stomach up. "Oh god, oh god, oh god." He whispered over and over again. His glare burned like a foul demon as a man laid hands on his shoulder, Thomas rushed forward to help him but realized Ryan had it when the Doctor flinched back violently at becoming the receiver of the brunette's glare. "Get. Your. Hands. Off. Me." Ryan growled.

"Uh sorry, who are you." The nurse raised a eyebrow in surprise.

"Sirena." Ryan whispered as softly as possible and brushed his hand against the only bit of skin which exposed his cheek. "Come on, wake up. Please. Come on Sirena."

"Hey." The nurse tried to offer a smile. "How about me and you go and get a cup of coffee? Okay?"

"Kid, look visiting hours are over, especially for this one. If you are that desperate to see your friend-"

"HE'S MY BOYFRIEND YOU FUCKING IDIOT!" Ryan screamed.

The nurse froze and stared with wide eyes at him as though he had just fallen out of the sky. The two doctors did a double take between Ryan and the nurse. Her long brown hair fell down onto her shoulders. it was curled slightly as it descended. Her eyes were a burning hazel as they seemed to study him and everything about him.

What was so special about her?

"Get a quilt and pillow. Have it ready for the time we get back."

"But Christina-"

"Don't." She growled. "Just. Do. It." She stated harshly and walked back to door of the ward.

Only after giving Sirena a soft and longing look while he was taken into the spare bed room and stuck around long enough to hear the very weak tone of the heart monitor recording Sirena's weak condition. The nurse sighed, running a hand through her long hair. "Come on honey. You look like you could do with a warm drink. Don't worry, if anything changes with him. We will be the first to know." She assured him as she wrapped a calming arm around him.

For a moment Ryan didn't move or even budge his eyes away from Sirena as he walked into the room with the nurse still holding onto him gently.

She only moved aside when the doctors parted away from like he was a burning flame. Her gaze warning them not to try anything, this situation was delicate. It always was with people in love, especially the young ones. They needed to give the boy his space.

Ryan however couldn't do anything but only lean forward and place a gentle kiss onto Sirena's cheek and listened to the boy's fragile and broken breathing from beneath the tube feeding him oxygen. "I'll be right back I promise. You hear me? I promise you, now and forever. I won't leave you like that again. I swear. I'll be right back to look after you" He whispered again as he gently ran a finger across the spot he had just kissed. "I'll be back in a couple of minutes. Sleep well, okay?" He promised over and over, gently fluffing the pillow behind Sirena's head as carefully as he could.

Just as Mike and Elektra arrived in the room and the girl broke out into a heart shattering sob. Mike's hand instantly wrapping around her in an embrace as Elektra stared at the broken remains of her baby brother, while Ryan just lent there, his and Sirena's forehead resting against one another. His tears splashing on the pale boy's cheek and leaving a trail.

The doctors watched him with a new sadness and glanced at the nurse who sighed gently and began to guide Ryan out the ward and towards the cafeteria which was just halfway down the corridor. Mike let him go without any question, his eyes though studied the dark and closed expression on Ryan's face as the boy left.

Every step away just seemed to cause a building agony inside of Ryan to stretch out and get worse.

It wasn't until he was sat down and the nurse had a warm cup of coffee placed in his hands did he finally feel his control lessening. "I feel like I'm going to-"

The nurse rushed around to him and held a small bucket under his face as Ryan couldn't hold it in any more and hurled the contents of his stomach. "It's okay honey. It's okay." She whispered soothingly as she rubbed her thumb across his back, until the boy had regained himself slightly from the complete shock and horror of what he had seen. "Don't worry." She sighed softly and set the bucket away. "Deep breaths now. Through the nose and out the mouth." She encouraged him as he steadied out with each breath.  
"I think that I may have something that can help." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small square of paper. "That boy who was waiting outside the room... you should give him a bit more gratitude." She said softly.  
"GRATITUDE?!" Ryan snarled. "My boyfriend is lay in that room! He looks like-" The words stuck in his throat as for a minute he was left to gape without words to fill the pure hatred and anger in his body. "And you want me to be grateful to someone!"  
"Grateful that he actually called the ambulance. Everyone else just walked past your boyfriend and left him for dead." The nurse said gently, her eyes sad but direct as she looked at Ryan and spoke bluntly. "Without him calling us, right when he had, your boyfriend wouldn't be alive at this point still breathing."

That cut into Ryan as the boy curled his hand around the Styrofoam cup. The contents hurling upwards as his fist trembled into a tight fist, completely crushing the cup beneath his fingers, he himself not caring if the smoldering coffee burnt his skin. The nurse sighed and quickly retrieved some ice and wrapped it in a small towel, then placed Ryan's hand in it to cool off the small burns. "His name is Thomas... he's been sat with your friend all night. He didn't leave the sight of the room once. All that time... we thought you wouldn't mind but there was a note left in your wallet. Thomas has been up all night trying to write it out."

Ryan glanced over at the piece of the paper the woman had, his hunger for it suddenly ravenous.

"Why did you take me away? I want to go back to Sirena."  
"Because I thought that you wouldn't want everyone to be looking at you when we told you the news." The nurse rubbed the back of her neck and sighed. "There's been a complication... your boyfriend's not just simply unconscious."

"Yes?" Ryan glared.

"He's in a coma." She sighed, running her hand through her hair. "And we're not sure when he's going to wake up."


	16. Chapter 16

**T** **hanks to everyone for the follows and favorite so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point. So a bit of a time skip in this chapter.**

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The beat of music played quietly in the room, just above the sound of a heart monitor as it constantly let out that persistent beep. The beat of the soundtrack was pleasant enough and catchy but the lyrics still made the figure in the room pause as they thought about the reason the boy had them on his phone. _"I am the sand in the bottom half of the hourglass. Oooooooh, I try to picture me without you but I can't. 'Cause we could be immortals, immortals. Just not for long, for long. And live with me forever now. You pull the blackout curtains down. Just not for long, for long. We could be Immortals."_

It had been over a year now.

A year since the worst day of Ryan's life but still he was here with a small smile on his face as he opened the windows slightly, tipping his fingers into a nearby bowl of water to test it's temperature to make sure that it wasn't too hot or too cold. He stared out the window of light rain for a long minute as he listen to the lyrics and to a certain bit in the music as he remembered what that song had meant to him ever so long ago.

He still remembered a pair of soft blue eyes staring up to him when he had laced their hands together and danced to the guitar under a stormy night sky and held each other, dancing and just laughing together.

It had taken the brunette that long to figure out that this song had been the one that he and Sirena had their first dance to oh so long ago.

As much as he hated to say it. With Christina on his back a lot and having reminded him since day one of being here with Sirena. Ryan had found himself increasingly thankful of Thomas being around. Without his help and understanding, Ryan was pretty sure that he may have gone completely mad and lost it a while ago.

One instance being when they had tried to rip Ryan and Elektra away from Sirena's side after the third week or so after the incident. Mike had pleaded with him to get something to eat, the same with Elektra as both only took the smallest bit of time away to shower or use the toilet as to being apart from Sirena. They had begun to lose more and more time at school.

But Ryan had refused like Elektra on every single moral level to leave the boy's side, almost becoming so much so as violent when the doctors had tried to move him away. Thomas had been on a visit as he usually did, his eyes sad as he had always looked at Sirena with something like that of an old and pained memories. He had adapted in well to the dumping ground, being a bit nervous at first to be taken into such a place, but after making a deal that during the week days, he would stick around the hospital with Sirena while Ryan and Elektra went to school, considering that Thomas was actually very much so intelligent, the others didn't mind that he took night classes. But Ryan had made sure that he repaid Thomas by helping him out around the dumping ground with whatever he had needed help with, whatever it may be.

A year though... a whole year now.

Ryan paused what he was doing as he gently dabbed at Sirena's arm with the wet sponge he had been given. When the doctor had come in and said that it was time to clean Sirena up, Ryan had almost lunged for him at the idea of someone else doing it. But eventually and with Christina's help, he managed to be able to do it himself. At first he had to stop himself from crying when he had seen Sirena's torso. It was covered in large scars and thick bruises.

None so more prominent that those which had healed over.

The large scars viciously which had been cut into the boy's torso and over his back.

 ** _TRAITOR, PSYCHO, SLUT, BITCH, QUEER_**

They weren't as noticeable now as they had been when they had first been cut into him... but still. If you knew what you was looking for, then you would always see the words now permanently scripted into Sirena's flesh.

Then if that wasn't bad enough, across Sirena's ribs the boy had long curled lined which swirled over his skin. Like those sickos had used Sirena as some kind of canvas for what ever it was their sick little minds had encouraged them to do. They had cut and stabbed him. Deformed him, and they had no regrets. No one had ever found them yet. The police had never caught anyone in the alley.

And Ryan had known better than to tell them about Persephone.

He let out a small sigh then looked down at Sirena's tired sleeping face.

He had managed to clean a lot of the cuts and re dressed the wounds himself after Christina had taught him how to, though she had always been close by to make sure that if Ryan needed the extra help, she could give it to him. Sirena's hair had grown back over the year and now was halfway down to his shoulders. It's platinum glow the only shade of itself that Ryan ever knew on anyone.

He had been happy when it had started to grow back. God help these people if Sirena woke up and had seen that someone had messed with his hair. It was enough to bring a tiny and humble smile to the side of Ryan's lips as he thought about just how much the boy would kill someone for doing that.

"Look at you." He said softly, gently dabbing the sponge on the boy's cheek then back to Sirena's forearms where the word _**MONSTER**_ stood prominently against his skin. Ryan just glared down at it for a moment, leaning down and placing his lips on it softly. _Those bastards._ He snarled in his thoughts, just like he did whenever he thought about what had happened to his boyfriend.  
"Oops, looks like I made a clean spot... oh well, better finish the rest of the job." He smiled gently and began to clean the last bit of Sirena's arm.

This was how most days went for him now, though sometimes he alternated between swapping with Elektra, depending on which one of the two could get here the fastest. Since Ryan had managed to get out of school the quickest today, he had sent a text message on to the girl saying he would do it this afternoon. She had just replied for him to pop by her halfway home quickly to pick up some things for him.

He had done so without a question.

"I brought your photos over for you." He looked over at the nearby table they had brought into the new room they had managed to get Sirena transferred to. It wasn't massively bigger but it allowed for a few more objects and items. It meant that Ryan could set out the pictures that Elektra had taken of her and Sirena, and yes even one or two photos that Ryan wasn't even aware had been taken of him and Sirena except for when he had received a call from one of the organizers from the masquerade ball event who had heard about the accident.

Katherine had told him that she had once said they were twins born across a different time... and it was true.

It was helped Ryan get through most of the days now, whenever he came here and saw his boyfriend laid under the sheets of the bed, sleeping like a broken and peaceful angel.

A certain blond bastard Ryan had seen come onto the ward had only scoffed at him.

King had come along a month or two after finding out about the accident, he had simply looked between Sirena and Ryan then laughed coldly. "Finally, I can get rid of him. I don't take broken goods. Besides, the little bitch never spread his legs for me. Means I haven't got to hide it anymore when I want to go and find someone to have a bit of fun."

It was safe to say that night, King had spent in one of the lower floor wards with a concussion, a nearly broken jaw, two cracked ribs and a fractured leg.

No one had dared to say anything about the bruises or split open cuts across Ryan's knuckles.

But back to Sirena and not that scum bag.

The picture of Ryan and Sirena kissing on the hillside.

Ryan had been more than plenty surprised when he had found it.

He had held and cried against it nearly the whole night he had sat by Sirena's side.

There weren't that many pictures of the two, about four maybe maximum.

The one of them kissing, which Ryan now wore in a closed locket on a silver chain around his neck. A gift on his birthday from Elektra who had only nodded at his quiet and grateful look. The picture of both boys dancing together and laughing like a pair of idiots, in their own little world as they had spent the night together. A picture of both sat under their umbrella together, staring out across the rain, huddled together in a blanket.

And a picture of both of them as they had been in a slow and loving kiss with each other, when Sirena had pulled Ryan's lips down on his own during their first dance together.

By looking at the pictures even with the year gap difference between them. They were almost identical in every way! Sirena was wearing what looked like to be a wig in the image, Ryan guessed it was anyway because he caught sight of where one or two slivers of the boy's ice cold hair shined faintly free of the light brown streaks. The way their faces were framed... except for two big differences.

The other pictures which took up the shelf were of who Ryan guessed was Sirena and Elektra.

In the picture both kids were holding one contact lens up that they weren't wearing. Elektra held up a harshly cold blue one and Sirena held up a lighter gray, blue one, while she had both arms around her brother.

"She missed you, ya know." He said quietly as he looked at the content and happy faces in the picture. Both siblings had their tongues stuck out cheekily though Sirena was held in a hug by his big sister. Then in the picture next to it, she was kissing his cheek and he looked halfway between a laugh and halfway between a silly face of shock. "I bet you miss her too." He sighed softly and looked back down at his boyfriend as he reset the song and finished cleaning him.

The rain felt like it hadn't been able to stop... even after a year of them now being in here, it felt like every day without Sirena around that it was always raining. That the days where the sun shined that there was always a cloud there quickly enough to swallow it up and remind the world that it had just gotten a bit smaller and darker without Sirena around.

"Still nothing huh?"

Ryan glanced over to the doorway and sighed.

"Nope. Just a slight temperature is the only change. They think he may have caught a bit of a bit of a fever, his immune system is struggling and so is his body. Nothing to worry about though, they say it's just package and parcel of what he's got to fight through."

Thomas was stood in the doorway with some fresh flowers, looking a little sadly down at the boy. "You know... when I found out that this was Sirena... Rose?" Thomas sighed. "I thought that maybe... just maybe my prayers had been answered, that maybe somehow I'd been given a second chance to actually save the boy who was my friend."

Ryan watched Thomas carefully as the blond paused for his words. "But I doubt he would even recognize me now... after all, back then he simply knew me as Jamie."  
"Why that? Why not your real name?"  
"Why does Sirena use his name?" Thomas smiled ever so slightly. "Or his other names for that fact; _Daniel, Rose, Sirena._ Because they all belong to different people. Throughout our lives we're different people. For people like me and Sirena, that means sometimes to move on and be able to live with who we used to be, what we have been through, we have to sometimes cast those off as something that happened to other people. So when we made a fresh start, we would give ourselves a new name and start fresh. The bad memories which reminded us what we had been through? They just happened to someone else. Jamie was the name I used while I was still on the street and he had found me." Thomas sighed. "I guess Thomas will be the name that I use when he wakes up and finds out that his old friend who had failed him before, has come back."

Ryan stared for a long minute. He could understand where Thomas was coming from. It made a lot of sense, especially considering what Ryan knew of Sirena.

"So I will make it my mission that Sirena knows that Thomas was the boy who sat here and waited, that hoped he would wake up. That way when he does." Thomas sighed, walking over and placing the flowers he had brought in a fresh vase. "He knows that no matter what has happened, that his friend will always stay there by his side."  
"Do you still have that note."

Ryan reached down into his second bowl he had mainly for just the purpose of keeping the boy's temperature under control, he didn't even look over as Thomas' hand went to his pocket. "You know I do. I will keep the promise I made to you."  
"How much lower do I have to get before you will give it to me!" Ryan muttered.

Long ago, on that first evening, Thomas had spent his time writing out a note he had found soaked in blood inside the wallet, a note which was all that Ryan had left still of Sirena to go by much anymore. He had refused it when Christina had offered it him and instead Thomas had taken it back to write it out with a finished piece. He had promised on that night, that only when Ryan was at his darkest moment, when he was low enough that he really needed it, would Thomas give him Sirena's letter.

Thomas just sighed as he gazed over at the brunette. "I will stand by my promise and not a moment before."

Ryan simply said nothing in response.

He squeezed out a small cloth and folded it before he placed it on Sirena's brow. His hand brushed over the now long and cold blond hair. "God help them when you wake up and see that they let your hair grow out. I hope they will be able to defend themselves against you. Because I got a feeling they're going to need a ward just for themselves."

He paused for a moment and looked down at the pale face. "Please. Please wake up soon."

It was mostly quiet in the room and in fact it was pretty tranquil except for the beeping on Sirena's heart monitor. Even Thomas said nothing as the Ryan let out a quiet whimper and was beginning to take quicker breaths. His tears splashing over Sirena's cheek and crawling down it, like the blond was able to cry through the darkness he was shrouded in, trapped inside the pit of his own body.

Flowers rested on the side table by the white silk bed. Ryan fluffed the pillow behind his boyfriend's head and pulled an extra blanket over him when he saw the boy shiver in his state even though his temperature had increased just the slightest of a fraction more. Sirena was going to be okay wasn't he? Of course he was. Sirena wasn't like anyone else, puppeteer or puppet. He was a survivor. Not many other people could have gone through what the blond had gone through and come out the other side, even in this condition.

Sirena was fighting every day.

And for as long as Sirena was fighting, Ryan would be there by his side, holding his hand through all of it. He would always be there to make sure that Sirena was never alone through all of this. "I miss you and I-" He paused, lowering his head as he took his seat by the bed, his eyes painted by shadows of exhaustion.  
"Hey now."

Thomas smiled slightly as he eased Ryan back into the seat, placing the spare pillow behind the brunette's head. "You're not going to be of much help if you're exhausted. You've done enough already. Elektra will be here in five or ten minutes, I'll stick around for that long. But for now try and get some sleep okay?" He asked gently, watching Ryan's eyes becoming heavier.

Thomas placed a blanket over the tired fifteen year old turning to take the other spare seat.

"W-Wake up Princess." Ryan sighed as his eyes closed. "I-I l-love you."

Thomas stared for a moment, not even sure if Ryan was aware of what he had just said.

His eyes only moved over to the comatose boy on the bed. "It's funny. When we first met, you helped me after I had been attacked... I swear to god Sirena. I'm not going to let you down again... I promise you. I will keep you and Ryan together." The boy slowly pulled a book out of his bag as he sat back in his chair. "You have my word."


	17. Chapter 17

**T** **hanks** **Justice237, Dark Heart 945 and CharlieSMarts12 for your reviews. Thank you also** **to everyone for the follows and favorite so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point. I'm trying something new with this chapter and for this one only. Hope you like it.**

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"Happy birthday!"  
"Happy Halloween!"  
"Merry Christmas!"  
"Happy New Year!"  
"Bloody hell it's snowing out there!"  
"Happy Valentines day!"  
"Oh look at them! It's the Olympics!"  
"I can't be arsed with these exams!"  
"Sirena... happy anniversary. I still love you. I hope you know that."

So much time and yet so little.

Each was an occasion Sirena was missing for the second time now.

Thomas smiled slightly to himself as he stared out the window, his hand resting over his old friend's as he turned the page in the book he was holding. "For we cannot wonder this path alone, for our hearts would kill us long before our thirst or hunger would. We cannot leave without pain, for neither can we shed these shadows which linger on our bones. Some times it matters not the words we speak, but only the meaning behind them, after all, the first lesson a human truly learns is that those words are often the hardest to speak. So raise your head my friend, do not let your crown fall, because in my arms you will be."

Thomas slowly looked over at the blond.

"And in my arms, you will stay."

For a minute, the only sound was of the gentle heart beat monitor, calling out the strength of Sirena's fading heart.

Before the sound of tears splashing against the pages of Thomas' book filled the pin drop silence and the boy bowed his head.

"I've failed you Rose. I keep failing you. And I can't stand it! Please! Just wake up." The boy whispered, but just watched as silence ticked by and the sun fade behind the grey cloudy sky of late winter, but painted the colour of the crimson roses a faint but warm fresh colour.

Even as Thomas bowed his head, and sobbed quietly into his palms.

All through his life he had been a failure to Sirena. He hadn't been there when Rose was raped. He had thought his friend dead and then run away.

Now his friend was as good as dead... and here he still was. Able to do absolutely nothing.

Nothing but watch the roses wilt day by day.

"You know, I should have stuck by you a bit better." Mike said gently, reaching out for the picture on the nightstand. His gaze moving over to the roses which looked as though their colour was fading in the early spring. The desk was placed with a few cards still from Christmas. A humble crimson one still in place with Ryan's signature on: _When the world falls around me, I shall know that I'm still safe, because you're my world and I know that you shall never fall... Listen to me. Sounding like a big sap huh? Looks like you got me huh? Checkmate. You finally win._

"I should have looked out for you better." Mike whispered as he turned his gaze to look at the boy on the bed, the various scars and words imprinted on his skin stood out more than a dot of ink would on a pure white canvas.

Ryan was down the hall, getting changed and ready for his night here in the hospital, but Mike had to stop in and just see how Sirena was doing. When his eyes had locked on the pale and weak looking boy, he had been unable to stop himself from lowering his head and grabbing on tightly to the side of the bed. "I could have done better by you! I should have made sure that you were okay... I shouldn't have let you go out. I should have just made sure that you were safe! I wanted to give you your space to breathe! I didn't want you to feel like we were all crushing in on you. I didn't want to let you down after those before had let you down."

The man lowered his head, staring out at the pale and broken form of the boy in the bed. "I wanted to make sure that you got the life you deserved... but... you didn't deserve this." Mike whispered. His tired and old eyes looking on as the weight of the world seemed to burden his shoulders. "You didn't deserve this. You helped even Ryan while you were there, in such a short time. You made him happier than anyone ever could have. You know there's not a day that goes by when he's not here. Not a second where he's thinking about you. Yeah... he's still quite cold with the others... he's withdrawn into himself quite a lot now. But with Elektra, with Thomas... He's got friends at least. We're all supporting him, doing as much for him as we can to help him. We're not going to let him go through this alone, or you either. But just know, he's safe. We will always keep him safe, until you finally return to us..."

He glanced over to the vase of twelve roses. Two of which were wilted.

"You deserved far much more than you got."

With that, he simply placed the photo back on the desk and held Sirena's hand gently in his own for a long minute, praying quietly for the boy.

"Look at you." Elektra laughed gently, as she sat back in her chair, brushing her brother's hair with a comb as she looked at how it moved down to his shoulders. Her touch was shaky but her movements and flow were consistent. "I brought you my brush... the one you always pestered me for as a kid, but I told you... no." She paused for a moment, her eyes locking onto her brother's face. "I always promised you, that I would get you your own... that I would make sure that someday you got absolutely everything you want." She pushed for a small smile as she sniffled gently, letting out a shaky breath and placing her hand on her brother's before going back to brushing his hair. "But, you can have mine... do you remember? When we were kids? Just before you got sent to the mental asylum, where I found you? On visiting day, we would have those make believe concerts in your room?" She beamed gently. "I would always bring my phone and have some big musical playlist on there, or bring a DVD for us both to watch? You would always ask me if it was okay for you to be the big star-"

The words choked in her throat and she closed her eyes, pausing for a minute as her voice broke.

"A-And I always said, _'y-yeah, that's fine.'_ Because..." She slowly opened her eyes and looked over to the vase of roses. Her eyes sadly glancing over the four wilted ones while the others seemed to be fading with the seasons. "B-Because one day you would grow up to be a massive star on the stage, so you should get your practice in then while you could..." She smiled through the pain and agony of her tears, moving back the curtain of her long hair over her back as she stared down at the empty face of her baby brother. "The look you used to have on your face when I said that!" She whispered so softly that her voice fell bellow the sound of the heart monitor. "You would smile so- so beautifully. You could bring alive hope and joy with that look in anyone, but you would only save it for me. You always only saved it for me, then you would pull me into a dance number with you. We would dance and laugh till we collapsed and I would hold you till you fell asleep."

The brush clattered to the floor noisily as she lowered her head, cupping her brother's hands in both of hers as her tears splashed his palms. She pulled his hand gently to her head, feeling the cold of his finger tips brush against her while her tears streamed down her cheeks. "A-And I-I would always make sure to get back there, before you woke up the next day! I would a-always try so hard! I would sneak out of the dumping ground, I would run till I couldn't breathe. I would always try and get there just in time for you to wake up, because I never wanted you to be alone in there!" She sobbed, closing her eyes as she couldn't hold it back any more but only let her broken sobs take over.

She stared at his pale face, his sunken cheeks, his bony arms and frail damaged legs. "I tried to be more than just your sister... I tried to be the mother that we never had, but I just drove you away with it. I wasn't what you really needed, because what you needed was him. You needed him so you wouldn't be alone. And I tried to keep you from him."

She slowly rested her head against the bar of the bed. "I failed you Sirena... I failed you!"

Ryan could feel the cold in his back as he stood there quietly, staring up at the sky as he watched the frosty flakes of the winter beginning to fall. "H-Hey Princess." He whispered softly, staring down at the boy on his heart monitor, watching the beat slowly echoing out. It seemed so much weaker most days now. Sometimes even stuttering. Some days Ryan would come in here and he would find Sirena on a life support, some machine pumping in air to his lungs.

"I-I just wanted to say... H-Happy Birthday." His eyes were speckled with slowly breaking tears as he reached out his hand, brushing his fingers as delicately over the other boy's forehead as softly as he could. The tears stuck to his cheek as he wouldn't let a sob break out of him, but he only lent forward slowly, letting his lips brush gently on the center of Sirena's forehead. His eyes closing as he felt the cold temperature of the boy beneath him.

He didn't lift the blanket but only tucked it more securely around the blond as he lent curled up next to him, his tears splashing against the smooth material of the pillow. His fingers reaching out and gently placing over Sirena's limp one. That's all Ryan could do, was lay there and cry.

Through the haze of his tears he looked over at the roses.

Out of twelve there were nine wilted.

Slowly he stood, holding Sirena's hand to his cheek after a couple of hours had passed. He stared down, just looking at the boy's face. Imagining those blue eyes which resided behind those closed eyelids.

Slowly he rested Sirena's hand back down and brought his hand to his lips, kissing his fingers and holding up his hand as Mike opened the door for him.

In the dark lit of the room, a woman with vicious cold blue eyes and blond hair stood, staring down at Sirena's broken body and pale face. Her eyes identically as cold as his, looked at him with an impassive gaze as she gently lowered the flower onto his chest, whispering a quiet. "I'm sorry this happened to you." She folded her hands in front of her expensive dress. Her gaze moving over the scars and marks left over his body. "I never planned for this to happen... I never thought that you would be in a situation bad enough that this would happen... I just thought that they would take you into a care home. That you'd grow up... that day... I thought you would be better off than around me. Than around something as dark and corrupting as me. I thought you would have a better chance at life." She let out a quiet sigh. "I guess I was wrong... I always am when it comes to these things."

She glanced over slowly to the vase of roses.

Ten wilted and dead.

Only two remaining out of twelve.

"Halloween. God, the memories that we both have of this season huh?"

Thomas rubbed a hand behind his neck, staring outside at the heavy blizzard which was rushing by.

He had placed an extra blanket over Sirena. "I remember when you turned around and got us both into Comic Con! You spent weeks ahead of time planning it. Picking the perfect day where you would be able to do it without Persephone knowing. Out of everyone, out of all the people you could have chosen at that time... you chose me. Everyone else in the gang still hated me... they thought I was just another pesky mouth to feed."

Thomas leaned back, looking down at the book he had in his lap. The pictures of him and a young Sirena, laughing together.

"But you told them they could all go and fuck themselves." Thomas laughed softly, looking over at the boy as he held Sirena's hand in his own. "You know you stuck with me. Through thick and thin while we were there on the street family. Your only condition was that I dress up and cosplay with you when we went. You went as Alois Trancy, You wore those boots without any shame, and the shorts!" Thomas laughed, smiling as the tears edged at the corner of his eyes. While he stared at the picture of Sirena in the full outfit.

He wore a long, plum purple frock coat; a forest green vest with black stripes and a black back; a white button-up shirt; black shorts, long black stockings; brown high heel boots with purple laces; and a charcoal ribbon tied around his neck. People had turned their heads around and stared at him, but it had been like he had been channeling Alois that day. Thomas hadn't been able to stop himself laughing at his best friend.

Of course though, since Sirena had gone as Alois, that had meant that he had been forced to go as Ciel.

After all, back then, they had both been a couple.

Just before Sirena had been raped.

"I respect you're with Ryan now." He said softly, staring down at the picture of Sirena getting a piggyback off of him as both laughed and smiled at the camera pointed at them. Sirena had made both costumes from scratch, spent days on them, worked his fingers to the bone. But all the way through that weekend, he had smiled like it was the happiest time in his life. Thomas had spent so long wanting to see that smile, that when he had first seen it, he hadn't been able to help himself but to kiss the other boy.

He turned the page and looked at the next picture of them both resting their foreheads together.

He was able to look back over the memory and smile now. Over the years he had moved on with his life, sure he would always have a place in his heart for Sirena... but now the boy was in love with someone else... and Thomas would never hurt Sirena. Never. Not as long as he lived. He would always be loyal to the other boy, till the day that he took his last breath and even then he would make sure to watch over him.

"One day, we will go back there... you always wanted to do the Mikayuu ship from Seraph of the End... If anyone would be able to get Ryan into Cosplaying as a couple, I'm sure you would." He chuckled gently, before his eyes turned back sadly. "But Sirena, to do that... you need to wake up."

Christina glanced down at her watch, just as the last petal fell from the last of the twelve roses. "I wonder what it's like for you right now." She whispered softly, her hazel eyes gently and with a soft protective side, moving over Sirena as she fluffed the pillow behind his head.

She took a seat slowly and glanced down at the sheet of paper in her hand. "Thomas left your letter behind. Ryan just read it. Thomas just took him to get some fresh air for a minute or so. He said he would be back before the end of the countdown. But... I just wanted to let you know, that you're so brave for what you did. I'm sure that no matter what happens now, that Ryan will never forget you. He will never forget what you did, and he will always remember what you left him."

She slowly turned her eyes down to the paper, slightly sad as she had seen the words two years ago partially, when Sirena had first come in here. Two long years ago now it seemed. But still they were as clear to her as they had been when she had seen them on their original blood soaked sheet that had been stuffed into Ryan's wallet.

 _Dear Ryan._

 _I don't exactly know what to do here... funny that isn't it? You spent all of your time talking to me, always trying to get me to shut up reading you, or trying to read anyone else... here I am, speechless. I don't know exactly what to write, I've made a back up on my phone encase this doesn't make it through, I know you know the password you git. It's your birthday, yeah, haha, I bet you're laughing your arse off right now..._

The pen was splashed on the paper just like the original.

Same as where Ryan's tears had splashed against Sirena's original ones.

 _At least, I really hope you are. I really hope you are okay. I hope that with what has happened. But first Ryan Reeves, I think it's time that I started telling you the truth about a few things. I may as well be honest with someone... and if that was going to be anyone, I guess it may as well be you. You're the only other person who has ever seen me clearly._

 _So let me start this right._

 _What happens tonight, isn't your fault. I'm writing this just right after you've left the park. You left your wallet in your pocket, you idiot Rye-Rye, don't you know that's the easiest place for it to get snatched? Anyway... You were so doped up at the party after our kiss that you didn't even noticed what I had done... I knew that you wouldn't allow me to do this, just like Persephone won't allow you to get away with what you have done. No one insults her and gets away to tell the tale._

 _I ditched my coat during the storm, when we went under the blankets... I knew that you would leave your jacket. I'm sorry but I couldn't let it happen to you. I wouldn't. I was as good as dead anyway, after that episode I could feel myself unraveling. If I had gone back to that asylum I wouldn't have come back again and I will not spend my life a prisoner to a place. You know that Ryan. So with these last few hours I'm doing something actually decent with my life. Persephone won't do the job herself, she wouldn't let the chance to get her hands dirty, effect her position, so I'm going to rely here on the fact that she will use her usual idiots to do it. I'm going to make it safe for you Ryan. I promise. You're gonna live the happy life that both of us craved._

 _So before I head out into this awful bloody rain, I guess it's time that I speak a few home truths._

 _My name is Jack. Jack_ _Cuore._ _The last name belongs to me, but the first one is the one I was given. I thought someone may as well know my real name before I die... and I want that person to be you._

 _Simply because..._

 _I love you Ryan._

 _God, I can't believe I finally said it. There it is. I love you, you slimy, git. You're a coward but you're my coward. If I'm your monster, then let me be that, but also let it be known, to at least you, that the monster was the hero in this story. Don't go after Persephone, she will kill you but she won't do it with grace... I can only hope at least what they've done to me as you're reading this was at least fast. But don't worry, I'm probably watching over you right now you idiot, I'll keep those morons off you, but I swear, if you do anything reckless then I'll come back to life just so I can kick your scrawny arse, got it?_

 _Oh and Ryan?_

 _I'm serious. For once, let the mask stay on the ground where it belongs and just know that in this life, if I didn't do a lot right with what time I had. Then just know, that in the part where I finally felt alive again, was the time I spent with you, and all that time... I loved you._

 _Behave, please and look after Elektra._

 _Love, now and forever._

 _-Sirena xxx_

 _P.s. Checkmate._

Ryan set the letter down as he looked at his watch. "Five... four... three... two... one... Merry Christmas Sirena." He lent forward, placing his lips against the boys and closed his eyes as he curled up next to him on the bed. "I love you too, my stupid, stupid hero of a monster."


	18. Chapter 18

**T** **hanks** **Justice237, Dark Heart 945,** **CatsAndWhiskers** **and CharlieSMarts12 for your reviews. Thank you also** **to everyone for the follows and favorite so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point. Hope you're ready for this. Hehehe *Evil Cheshire cat grin***

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"Look at you... god you look at mess! Look at your hair! Honestly, don't they even give hair cuts in here? What ever, I guess I will just clean you. Now that Ryan isn't here, you can maybe get away from him and focus more on-"  
"Get. The. Fuck. Away. From. Sirena."

Outside the wind howled violently against the window as the door to the hospital bedroom creaked open slowly. The metal hinges crying out like a broken violin and cry of a dying animal while a pale hand curled tightly around the handle.

The roses in the vase had all wilted now.

Christmas day and yet this was about to turn into something with a whole different sort of merry.

Merry because someone was finally about to get just what was coming to them.

Thomas was lent in the doorway, his usually puppy dog brown eyes were ablaze as he glared at the girl dressed up in pink, stood by the bed as her dark eyes roamed over Sirena hungrily. She wore a large pink jacket and black dress with matching boots-  
"Who the hell said you could wear them?"  
"Well he's not going to be wearing them anyway!" Carmen objected, looking down at the Jimmy Choo boots she had found in the box of Sirena's possessions which still belonged to the hospital.  
"Get out of the boots. Get out of the hospital and I may just not tell Ryan... Or throw you out of the window myself." He whispered.  
"Like you could-"  
"Honey, you think Ryan can be bad?"

Thomas slowly walked forward, the flickering light of the hallway casting dark shadows around him as he towered above Carmen and glowered down at her. His eyes more ferocious than either Sirena or Ryan could have ever mustered together. His black jacket caught in the air slightly while it still had the lingering faint smell of strawberries and vanilla... just like Sirena had used to. He wore a simple black scarf and a dark shirt. His jeans were tight around his legs and his boots jingled slightly as the chain he wore as an accessory around his waist, caught against the cold leather straps of the knee high black material. His hood was still raised and flecked with the cold of the snow outside.

But as he stepped into the room, his glare could have brought the entirety of winter with it. Carmen flinched back from the look as Thomas stepped forward slowly. "You're playing a game you don't understand. In this, you're just a puppet." He whispered venomously till he was stood directly in front of her, towering over her and making her shrink back against the wall.  
"W-Well it's not like he's actually still with Ryan-"  
"As long as his heart still beats, it beats for Ryan." Thomas whispered softly, his eyes narrowing as Carmen paled drastically. "DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!" He snarled into her face, making her scream out slightly as she was finally backed against the wall. "You want to play games little girl, go and find someone else. You ever touch Sirena again? I swear to god, I swear on my friendship with Sirena. It will be the last thing you ever do if you mess up this relationship for my Sirena."  
"Y-You can't talk to me like this!"

Thomas launched forward, stood directly above her against as he glowered into the little snake's eyes. "Even if by some miracle, Sirena was awake. He wouldn't touch the filthy trash like you, not in a hundred years." Thomas stated. He spoke as though he was giving a simple fact to a child who had asked a obvious question. He had been putting up with this far too much longer than he had wanted to. Listening to Carmen cry out dramatically at the table, holding her hands to her eyes to rub them. Crying out for attention about the pain in her heart over Sirena.

All the while at the dinner table or whenever they were in the house, Elektra and Ryan would just lower their heads and glower at the ground with murderous intent.

Thomas had sat back now far too much. He had watched this little cow over the last two years that Sirena had been in here. He had watched Ryan slowly falling apart at the seams, watching the boy almost go savage with nearly everyone who tried to interact with him. The exception being Thomas and Elektra. He guessed that he was the exception to Ryan's wrath because Thomas and Elektra was really all that Ryan had left of a living awake connection to Sirena.

But that didn't change what had happened.

Ryan had been getting in more fights at school. Being suspended, walking out of exams and coming to the hospital. Going so far sometimes as to actually having to come to night school with Thomas to try and make up for the sheer amount of time that he was losing. The boy was struggling, two years in love with effectively the corpse which was left of Sirena. That kind of strain was a hell of a lot to bare. Especially for a sixteen year old!

Ryan had spent his birthdays quiet over the two years. Just like he had done with last Christmas and this one.

His one gift that he wanted more than anything else wouldn't happen...

But then there was this little bitch.

Thomas glared foully at the girl. "You go near Sirena again, and I swear. You'll wish it was Ryan who was going to deal with you."  
"You freak!" Carmen shouted, trying to push Thomas away.

But the boy only paused as he glared even darker at her. Making her fall back against the cabinet full of Sirena's photos, sending them crashing to the floor. "GET OUT!" Thomas snarled.  
"Get out, before I call security."

Both looked around to see Christina glaring into the room with a gaze like thunder.

"About time! Where the hell were you." Carmen snapped at the woman. Her eyes narrowed as she glared over at Thomas. "This freak-"  
"Shut your mouth and open your ears. Now, shall I repeat myself again, a bit slower. Or will I be calling security."

Thomas stared completely shocked as the woman's look was cast over Carmen who's jaw had dropped. "You old hag!" She growled, climbing to her feet.  
"Boots." Thomas growled.  
"Fine. He's not going to be using them anyway! If you want to waste them! Fine!" She quickly unzipped them and threw them at Thomas' chest.  
"I'll make sure to send you the cleaning bill!" He called after her as Christina slammed the door behind her and folded her arms. Raising her eyebrow as her scolding gaze moved over Thomas.  
"Listen kiddo, you're pushing it a bit. I can only cover you so much, but this attitude has to stop."  
"The little cow shouldn't have tried to mess around with Sirena then, should she!"

Christina sighed and watched as Thomas crouched on the floor, desperately grabbing a towel as he scoured every inch of the cold marble like surface. "Thomas-"  
"No." He growled. "It has to be clean! It has to be good for when Sirena wakes up! It's Christmas day! It's his favorite days of the year! It all has to be clean and nice for him! It has to be-"  
"Honey. Have you even seen your arm?" Christina asked gently, with soft eyes.

Thomas hadn't even noticed that when the vase fell, it had shattered. A large shard of glass seemingly have left a slice along his arm.

He just glared at it for a moment before going back to picking up the roses off the floor, throwing them away as quickly as he could before opening the bag he had brought with him and placing the fresh roses into the vase. Crimson mixed with red and some sapphire one's too, some turquoise, some gentle, some covered in thorns. "He always loved roses."  
"I know... I should have got him some on our first date."

Both Christina and Thomas looked up for a second as Ryan stood there in the doorway, his hand scratching the tiny stubble which was forming around his chin, while his eyes were locked on Sirena. "Merry Christmas Princess." He smiled gently, walking over and placing a kiss as lightly as he could on Sirena's forehead. "I'll give you your gift later." He promised, before nodding at Christina who held out the roll of bandages for him.

Thomas however was still there on the floor, picking up shards of glass and the photos.

"That stupid cow! She ruined it! They were Sirena's favorites! They were his! They were perfect there!"  
"Thomas."  
"But she just-"  
"Thomas. Hush." Ryan whispered softly, reaching out and placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.

The years had been hard on Ryan. The boy looked thin, and tired with eyes that seemed just so old too old to be his. He had grown a bit more muscular, though his frame deceived that he was rather thin and bony. But still somethings never changed. His brown hair cut short at the sides and styled neatly on the top. His eyes as masked as they had always been, if not more perfected so by the time that the sixteen year old had spent, steeling himself against the pain of seeing the one he loved in this condition. Sirena, so pained and hurt in a coma. Every day. Ryan's beautiful sleeping beauty.

The one that Ryan truly loved with all of his cold little heart.

But now he just crouched to the same level as Thomas and looked at the boy square in the eyes. "We can't let it get to us." He said calmly, though beneath the surface, his own anger and hatred boiled like a molten pit, spreading through his bones and making him tremble.

He would make sure that Carmen suffered for trying to go near his Princess.

But that could wait till later.

"Here. Let me." He said calmly, reaching out and taking Thomas' peachy toned arm in his own, his fingers examining over the damage of the skin. It was only a small slice, barely any damage. Luckily. A shard of glass was much more dangerous than most people would believe. After all. Ryan still remembered seeing the shards of broken glass bottles being pulled out of Sirena's wounds, like some kind of sick jigsaw puzzle of someone's twisted imagination.

Thomas was still for a long moment. "I promised I would protect him... to protect you."  
"I know." Ryan sighed. Patting the boy on the back as he cast his gaze low to the dark jeans he was wearing. The chill in the air lingered in his bones as he adjusted his black shirt and pulled his jacket closer. "But it's Christmas remember. If we're not happy, Sirena would kill us. You know that more than most."  
"I brought him a present." Thomas said gently.

Slowly the boy pulled out a box. "I know it's stupid... but when we was young. We went to comic con... we dressed up. So I bought him a costume."

Ryan looked over the bright blue box and the pink ribbon tied around it.

"I know that it's kinda stupid to buy him this of all things...but-"  
"It's a wonderful gift." Christina smiled, walking over and standing by Thomas to give him some support that the shaking boy looked like he needed.

Ryan just lent his head back against the wood of the framing door.

"Christmas day again... two years now. I brought you a gift, I wonder if you would have liked it? Well, I guess if Thomas' is anything to go by, I guess you would have."

Christina and Thomas both looked away from Ryan, giving the boy the calm that he needed.

"Have you seen... _him_." He growled.  
"Yeah. He was in here earlier... King the bastard." Thomas growled, his hands curling into fists.  
"So his other toy rejected him huh?" Ryan growled, looking back over at Christina with an accusation glare.  
"I can't stop him from visiting, unless Sirena gives us direct orders not to let him in, or that he proves to be a danger to Sirena."  
"He's only come back because his boytoy threw him out! He thinks that he can weasel his way back to Sirena, because Sirena can't say no!" Ryan shouted.

Silence grew after that.

That dirty blond was certainly giving Ryan a headache and a half.

If it weren't Carmen, then it was King and vice versa!

Two years. Two years Ryan had stood waiting, watching, praying for Sirena.

No rats were going to take him away. Not now. Not after so long.

"You need to calm down." Christina sighed, sitting back in her chair. Just as Ryan lent forward slowly to place a soft kiss on Sirena's lips.

And Ryan was calmer, pulling back slowly from the kiss... until the doctor came back with the news.

But it was kind of a waste to be honest.

Because it was the exact same time in the moment that Sirena had begun to wake up.

Sirena had just locked those fearful blue eyes on him as they burst open like they were spring loaded. The boy's good wrist shot up sharply though it was covered in bandages and still stitched with the old scars which were stubborn to heal, even after all this time, the skin seemed to be damaged, weaker than normal. Even though at first, the top of his head was bandaged the most where it had taken the greatest hit, looking now at that panic emotion, which burned in the blue orbs, Ryan wanted to back away in fear.

Sirena began to struggle, trying to begin sitting up, taking panicked breaths as he looked around and thrashed about on the bed like he was going into a seizure.

It was as though he was a cornered dog.

The doctor quickly added the restraints and ordered the nurse in with a sedative.

Christina rushed about quickly as she moved from the drip to trying to hold the boy down, who writhed under every single touch which was placed onto him. The heart monitor was screaming out the racing and painful beat of Sirena's chest. "Heart rate and blood pressure rocketing! We have to stabilize him!" Christina stated.  
"It's going to be okay." Ryan whispered as a smile spread across his face seeing his love wake up, placing a gentle kiss on the boy's cheek.

He knew Sirena would wake up! He just knew it! He knew that the boy would pull through!

Sirena was a fighter!

He would never go down without a fight!

Two years! He had done it! He had come back! He was back! SIRENA WAS BACK!

It would take a lot more than a those bastards attacking him to-

"Who are you?"

Three words that destroyed his world in seconds.

"Where am I!?" Sirena looked around at the people pinning him down, fighting and thrashing. "Get off me! GET OFF ME!" He screamed.

Thomas had to stop himself from screaming slightly as he had to pin Sirena's arms down so Christina could get the syringe into it.

They had to be as gentle as possible.

Especially now in this situation.

Two years in a coma had damaged Sirena's body. Nobody coming out of a coma that long would be strong, Sirena was frail, damaged and hurt. I

t was like they were dealing with shattered porcelain!

"Who am I?" the smaller boys breathing becoming alarmingly fast as the doctor lent over him trying to assuring him.

But it was no use.

Sirena was going into a panicked melt down. It took all of Ryan's efforts not to cry out in pain or scream the boy's name as they finally got the needle into his arm and got Sirena to drift of back to a peaceful realm of sleep. Christina was instantly on his stats, listening to his breathing, making sure his heart was steadying. She had to rub the boy's chest for a moment to help him get some fresh air into his lungs, but soon found, that even though it sounded pained. Sirena's heart was beating a bit stronger.

She had to wipe the tears slowly from her eyes as she glanced over at Thomas and both smiled ever so weakly.

Ryan however turned on the doctor and grabbed him by the collar as he pinned him against the wall viciously, his fist raised, every ounce of his will power going into now smashing the Doctor's head into the wall. "WHAT HAPPENED?!" he snarled.

He felt Christina and Thomas at his shoulders trying to pry him away but it was no use. He had never felt such a built up rage in his life. He had never had something so expensive and important to him given into his fingers, only to have it pried away and destroyed before he could close his grasp on this.

Sirena.

Two years.

TWO YEARS.

WHAT HAD THEY DONE!

Sirena! His Sirena! Given back to him and in seconds DESTROYED! NO! THIS WASN'T HOW IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE! THIS ISN'T HOW IT WAS SUPPOSED TO END!

"Don't hurt him. They will kick you out." Thomas hissed before fleeing back to his best friend's bed side.  
"The scans show there was extensive damaging and trauma to the head. He's lucky he didn't die. You both knew that he had taken serious damage and swelling." The doctor pushed Ryan off of him just as the boy heard the doors open. He probably guessed it was Mike taking Elektra back into the room.

He was glad for that, he didn't want them around to see him like this.

To see him looking beyond anger.

The smile had slipped from Thomas' face as he was staring at his best friend as though he was a complete stranger... it was ironic. Considering that now he, Ryan and everything around him was new to the sleeping boy.

"Lucky?! Trauma… what has happened to him!"

"He's got amnesia." The doctor said bluntly and then caught the boy as he stumbled back. Ryan's chest rose and fell painfully. His vision blurring. His skin felt too tight over his ribs! It felt like they were being crushed in! The air was too thin!  
"You need to take a minute and breathe young man. You're not going to be any use to him right now as this."  
"Can you… can't he…?"  
"Amnesia?"

Ryan turned his head slowly. The only thing right now that was keeping him from lunging out and punching the person till his fists were covered and broken with blood, was the fact that being by Sirena when he woke up was more important than anything else that would ever matter.

However.

His blood boiled at the sight of King.

He stood there in his raggedy, torn clothes. They hung from his body horribly making it look just how worthless he was to not having anything to afford real ones. His jeans were scraggy and torn quite badly up the front of his legs. His dirty blond hair stuck out like a sore thumb. He trembled slightly as his voice shook just as much. "Amnesia? He… he can't remember." King stared at the boy as though he was beginning to just see a complete stranger.

"No." the doctor shook his head in agreement, "We've tried to control the amount of the swelling and damage to the head... but we just weren't able to contain it. I guess we just messed up-"

"MESSED UP!?" Ryan, Thomas and King screamed, watching the man begin to shuffle nervously and move away from their looks. "Listen, he may remember." The doctor said less than halfheartedly.  
 _Oh you pathetic idiot!_ Ryan snarled in his thoughts as he stood in front of the man. His eyes boring into him like a spear, slowly stabbing under the mans skin and into his very soul itself. _You pathetic idiot! Don't lie to me! I'll destroy you!  
_ "Give him back to me!" Ryan snarled, his eyes ablaze with a fury he hadn't felt in two years since before he had met Sirena.  
"I can't." The Doctor said sadly, rubbing the back of his neck. "But like I said. There may be a chance-"  
"What are the chances?" Ryan's voice was low and deadly.

Just like his gaze.

"Less than a fifteen percent chance... being optimistic that is." The doctor said laying a hand on the Ryan's shoulder, only to have it instantly shrugged off and Thomas had to grab Ryan's wrist, before the brunette could punch the doctor in the face and knock him out cold. "I'm sorry but... you can't even tell him his past. His mind wouldn't be able to handle it. The bare minimum you can tell him is his name. The rest he will have to try and fix by himself or…" the doctor shook his head unable to think of the consequences that would arise from such a situation like that. "The damage to his mind could be irremediable. He wouldn't be able to take the sheer amount of shock. His body and mind would just shut down. He has to walk a dark path now. But he has to do it alone."  
"So, he can't remember his past and we can't tell him." Ryan summarized with a glare which had even King backing away with a slight rush of fear. "WHAT KIND OF STUPID DOCTOR ARE YOU!"  
"I'm sorry. We have done all we can. I'll be back soon to check his vitals." The doctor sighed and left the room leaving just the three boys and Christina.  
"Good... now that's out the way."

Ryan turned slowly glaring over his shoulder at king. "I've just lost... everything." He whispered. His eyes barren, far more empty than they had been ever before in his life.

The cold sneer that had not rushed onto his face in two years plastered back as though it had never left.

"Everything that meant anything to me." He smiled at King who was backing up slightly.

 _Oh how the fucking tables have turned._ Ryan thought with a beautiful smile.

"Because of you and your little gang... and now?"

He laced his fingers, smiling beautifully.

Christina and Thomas shot each other a glance.

"I'M GOING TO FUCKING MURDER YOU!" Ryan screamed.

Before he lunged for King's throat.


	19. Chapter 19

**T** **hanks** **Justice237,** **CharlieSMarts12,** **Dark Heart 945 and** **CatsAndWhiskers** **for your reviews. Thank you also** **to everyone for the follows and favorite so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point.**

* * *

He turned with a great sadness in his eyes as the soft summer breeze rustled the ice cold, moonlight drowned locks of his hair with a gentle caress. His half lidded pinked tinged eye lids, slowly giving in as all life in those once great cold blue orbs now seemed to finally give way.

It was so strange to him that he felt no pain as the words sat heavy in his mouth. The cold in his chest, clawing and crawling from the crimson expanse of his showing heart. His slightly rouge lips, no longer tense or beaten into a hard line of fear. His limp hands, open and catching the final moments of the breeze. "Better dead and forgotten than just a shadow." His diamond tongue whispered.

He became still, porcelain skin drying out with colour as from the open expanse, the shinning crimson of his heart faded to a dull, wilting brown. Slowly large cracks forming on his lean body. The bare black shirt which had once kept him warm now betrayed him as it was ripped from his torso and vanished on the adventure of the wind.

He didn't care... All he could do was raise and twist his hand as he watched his finger tips becoming broken and crumbling into nothing less than lifeless waste. Slowly deep veins ebbing away as the crumbled remains became nothing more than a stump of his wrist.

A missing elbow.

A vanished arm.

And so on it carried till the boy began to slow fall back. His eyes watching the cloud great sky with sadness as even the warm sunlight flailed away from him.

Even as the last of the breaking body reached his face so that only his eye was left, he still knew and stood by the actions.

But then there was nothing.

Nothing more than a pile of autumn leafs blowing away on a forgotten summers breeze.

 _I still wait for it to end._ He thought as the darkness swallowed him. The _cold of the bitter winter, the merciless ice always at my throat and grinding into my chest as it gives me nothing but the most useless of hope for any survival. My physical body survives while my mental state deteriorates with each growing day. I stare through a lifeless eye that seems to show me nothing more than the poison of my wound. The infection that brings me to my knees as I know I have no more ounce of fight left in me. I'm just a shell that waits for time to decide it's final moment; degrading slowly and breaking because of time._

 _But why do I have to wait?_

 _I know why… It's because I'm a survivor._

 _I know that much. I know how to run and to keep on going. I know how to ignore the pain of burning lungs and the ache of a body, which is ready to give in and collapse. I know how to sly my way through conversation and draw eyes away from my self. I can slowly sneak my way into someone's heart. I can twist it and crush it in my fingers. Watch as betrayal paints a symphony on their faces as the light of the dagger in their back becomes apparent to them._

 _At least… I think I do?_

 _What is this darkness around me? Why does it decide that it claims me? This small box and corridor of a prison I find myself in? Why does it matter any more if I carry on the fight? Something tells me I've already lost now that I'm here. Something tells me that now I have failed everything that I ever set out to accomplish. I know that I have failed. I know I cannot keep on fighting. I'm a survivor who has given up. I'm a fighter who has decided that after so long, they can no longer wield the sword._

 _I'm the boy who knows those who love and those who lies._

 _I smile for those who lie and step away from those I love. Oh it's so easy to paint a deep smile and twinkle in the eye for your enemy._

 _But how can I trust senses that come from an empty mind. How can I trust a personality that I know nothing about?_

 _How can I trust myself when I don't even know who I am?_

 _I try to look around but again this winter darkness seems to be compacted in the small room around me._

 _I feel my heart accelerating as my breathing becomes rapid. I'm trapped. I can't see the world around me… am I even still alive? What is around me? I'm standing on the brink. I can hear the tap of rocks falling apart around me. The long winding echo of wind... but there's something else. Something distant, a surging, a tide. It's rushing towards me._

 _I reach out a hand and feel the cold biting beneath the gentle of my fingers but it's mingled with something else. The bitter of the cold is beginning to flee. To run wild and scared, a scorching pain is filling the air._

 _I need to figure this out faster._

 _I reach out for the walls. It's rough but smooth… sharp in patterns. Steel? Rock formations? Some kind of metal I think. Unrefined ore in the cracks and lodges of a wall. A mine? Was I somewhere underground? It would make sense why it is so dark?_

 _But is that what this is? Not a room of darkness but a cell of imprisonment? I'm a cornered rat. I'm stuck and I don't know what to do. I can't see anything. I should be scared. I should be terrified. I should be screaming for someone or anything to be there._

 _But I don't… I just stay there._

 _I just- AGGH!_

Sirena's eyes slammed open, widening for a moment as the fire running through his body left him airless for a second. His eyes basked in the light, filling like a mighty sea of ice. His pupils dilating as he glanced around. He had been somewhere... in the dark. Oh. So long in the dark and the cold. He had been there so long that he feared now his mind had even seemed to bowed to the darkness.

Here he was, under the eyes of others, others who looked at him as though he should know them... but just like with most other things in his life now. They were just empty.

It was like everyone around him was wearing a mask hiding their true identity... but they had no faces beneath to show. Everything around him was blank, empty, pointless. It was like he was still in the darkness, but now he was blinded with the vision of a world he didn't know.

He was lost not only in a sea of time, but also now in a reality where he felt he no longer had any place.

He was lost. So lost.

Would any one ever really find him?

Ryan paced back and forth outside the hospital as he seemed to look at the ground with an intent.

Slowly he pulled the cigarette away from his mouth and let out a slow swirl of smoke from between his edged lips, before it was claimed by the wind. The air was harsh against him, sending the slight sting of frost against his rose like cheeks, but he didn't care. He would do know what he had done all along. Keep his head down and try not to think about it too much. So he did. He just stood there and glowered at the ground, taking a long and slow drawn out breath.  
"Bad habit that. It'll kill you, ya know?"  
"I have a few bad habits. Letting people go, that seems to be one of them." He growled, slowly turning his gaze up. "Caring for them, is another."

Thomas stood on the doorway step. A soft smile playing on his stern face as he looked over at the brunette, pulling his hood up as he shivered from the harshly cold temperature of the growing blizzard which had settled around them. He wore a jumper over his shirt but Thomas had always been sensitive to the cold. He had never been one for it. Unlike Sirena. Sirena could have come out here in just his boxers and barely had felt anything. That boy seemed to be some kind of Elsa, though of course to say something like that would have meant a kick in the balls from him.

Ryan had only been the only person that Thomas had seen, be able to get away with calling Sirena, Princess.

"They took King off the property... you know, if me and Christina hadn't have been there. I'm not sure you would have been able to stop yourself."  
"Good." Ryan muttered, glaring out and rubbing the stubble on his chin as he glowered at the cold sky above them and the falling snow flakes. "The git deserves everything he gets and more.  
"You need to be careful now... first impressions and all." Thomas said gently.  
"I've known that blond douche bag for years!"  
"I was on about Sirena." Thomas said as softly as he could, almost as though he could actually lessen the blow of the words as he sighed and turned in the doorway. "He's confused Ryan. Rightfully so. He's been hurt quite bad and he's just woken up. He can barely stand... He's gonna have to learn to walk again. He's so weak." Thomas sighed softly. "But he's awake-"  
"He's lost." Ryan snarled.

He stamped out the bud of the cigarette under the heel of his shoes, sending a scatter of embers around him.

His hand still tightly curled around the old american lighter that Sirena had given him.

"So?" Thomas smiled ever so faintly as he could see the words furiously burning out of the boy.  
"So I'll make sure that I'm the one to find him."  
"Good... because I'm bringing him down. He could do with some fresh air. We can't keep him cooped up in that room." Thomas smiled.  
"Wait...what?"  
"You've got ten minutes to prepare, what you want to say." Thomas grinned watching Ryan stare at him.  
"What?!"  
"Listen up Rye-Rye."  
"Don't. Call. Me. That." He snarled viciously, his dark eyes glowering at Thomas, who raised his hands, internally Thomas was scolding himself. He should have known that the only one to be able to call Ryan that was Sirena.  
"The Doctor said we're not allowed to remind him... he never said we couldn't introduce ourselves. Plus, it's Christmas day. I am not leaving Sirena up there all by himself. I will not let him wake up to be just by himself. Elektra will be here soon, the hospital have called Mike and told him. Apparently she nearly tore apart the dumping ground when she found out. So you haven't got long. Now, get yourself together. Have a mint because seriously you piece of smoked bacon, I could smell about a pack worth's on your breath!" Thomas teased, his face growing sterner. "Got it?" He stated.  
"Yes mother." Ryan growled.  
"From the way I've been keeping your room tidy and have to keep you in check? It's like I'm your bloody mother." Thomas winked, laughing and running back in the direction of the room.

That was it then.

This was happening. Because as much as Ryan knew Thomas, it meant that he knew that the blond was going to try and play his little match maker... Oh god... the gift that he got Sirena!? If the boy opened that up now!

Ryan face palmed and groaned slightly to himself.

He seemed desperate to try and find some reason, courage or any answer on how to proceed with what he wanted to do next. Everything inside of him was driving the bag of nerves he had become, wild. This is what he had been left, all because of his feelings for Sirena. Being driven through to much pain because he cared for someone so much! This was the reason he had been pushed through, in his ache which he could no longer take.

The weak plants stood out beneath the pained barrier of the blanket which the snow, it was sad how they had now become forgotten and almost dead. The crimson roses were losing their life, just like the cherry blossom in the trees had begun to fleet away and turn a deathly shade... Sirena would hated to have seen this. Ryan knew the boy had an eye for beautiful flowers. Especially cherry blossom.

But now here he was, stood outside of a hospital in the back garden as he rehearsed himself how to have conversation with a boy who he now needed to act like he never should have met!

He had to act a stranger, to the boy he knew better than himself!

He had to act a stranger, to the boy who's bedside he had been sat by for the last two years!

So where did he start?!

 _Well usually, in a situation like this. The first place you would start, would be an introduction you idiot!_ His thougths snapped.  
 _Well forgive me, but I've never been in a situation, 'like this' before! I've never had a person I've been in love with, lose all memory of me!  
Well quite whining and get on with it then!_

"So uh... Hi. My name is Ryan Reeves it's a pleasure to meet you... no no. That sounds too formal. Hi I'm Ryan, how you doing- how're you doing?" He hit himself in the head at that stupid attempt. "He's in a freaking hospital! He's just woken up from a two year coma! How do you think he is doing!" He scolded himself and paused as he was tempted for a moment to bang his head on a wall out of sheer stupidity for how he was feeling right now. "Hi I'm-"

"Ryan Reeves I'm guessing?" A voice chuckled softly.

Ryan turned slowly to see a boy covered in bruises slowly stepping out of the doorway as he had a small smile playing on the edge of his face though the boy himself looked like he didn't know why he was showing that gesture. The large cuts across his cheek didn't make him look any less beautiful. Scars can fade. Bruises can be hidden. Sirena's personality and beauty? That was going to be there forever. Accident or not. The large lines which had needed stitching were now settle in the large bloodied mark.

The boy was that frail his own skin was tearing open... how long would that take to heal? Would that naturally fix itself?

"Thank you." Sirena whispered softly. "I was desperate to get out of that room for a bit. But all the others said no, that I had to rest."  
"Ah, nothing better than a bit of fresh winter air." Thomas beamed.

Sirena had his arms wrapped tightly around the boy's neck, his head was lolled into Thomas' chest, the dark shadows of his slumber seemingly hanging under his eyes. The boy looked broken. Truly and entirely. His long silver hair fell down onto his shoulders in a curtain. Thomas looked at that moment far more happier than Ryan had seen him in the last two years. His eyes were soft and caring. They were devoted like that beyond of a loyal follower. It was like he was a blind man and with Sirena he was seeing the light for the first time.

 _Hang on... wait a minute-_

"I'm just going to go and get us both a coffee." Thomas gave a gentle look again.  
"I don't even know your name." Sirena pushed slightly for a smile. His cheekbones showing and his eyes looking sunken.  
"Thomas." The golden blond said without missing a beat. "Thomas James. But tell you what, you can call me T.J." He smiled, setting Sirena down as gently as he could on a nearby bench. "This is my best friend. I'll let him introduce himself... maybe this time a little less formally?" Thomas advised, watching Ryan blush with embarrassment at being caught off guard like that, especially in front of Sirena. "Don't worry. You're in safe hands with him."  
"Thank you. Honestly, I'm very grateful T.J, I'll have to make it up to you sometime."  
"You smiling and being happy is all the gratitude I need." Thomas beamed, turning away.

Not catching the faint rush of crimson which moved through Sirena's cheeks, as the boy adjusted himself slightly.

He wore some shorts, only that and the boy wasn't even shivering! More than anything, his cheeks were faintly tinted red as though he looked like he had run a marathon, but considering this was Sirena, Ryan guessed, the boy refused to wear those hospital gowns at all.

It was nice to see that some things never changed.

"Hideous sight, I know." Sirena's smile turned a little sad and deeply self conscious. "I wish I could could explain to you how I got them... but I just don't quite-" He paused for a moment as his eyes darted back and forth along the ground, as though he was tracing an invisible line which no one else could see. His jaw was set tight as his fingers flexed on the side of the bench he was half sat, half laid on. "Ryan Reeves."

"U-Uh yeah." Ryan coughed self consciously, holding out his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you and believe me. You're not hideous. I've seen hideous people and they're unmarked. You look gorgeous!" He stammered nervously. _Oh god. I must sound like a complete creep!_

Sirena rose an eyebrow for a minute, before breaking out into a small giggle and smiling.

That smile.

That beautiful smile.

The one that never seemed to be able to not make Ryan's heart explode with such a giant and overwhelming, humongous joy. The same smile that he had when they had gone for their first dance in the park, when they had held onto each other and Sirena had came to him for comfort from the storm. When they had their first kiss under the storm and the rain... The night oh so long ago now when afterwards Ryan had left Sirena by himself, and lost two full years of time with him. The night Ryan would never be able to not feel was his fault. The night when he almost lost the only person he had ever truly loved.

"Ryan Reeves." Sirena giggled softly, his morphine drip, letting the medicine course into his body to help him deal with the pains.

That's probably why he seemed more relaxed than Ryan had expected. That and god knows what else medication there is running through his body.

But then it happened.

"Ryan Reeves."

Ryan looked up slowly, watching something crack in Sirena's eyes. "Ryan-Ryan-Ryan-" Sirena's eyes widened slightly with fear as he kept saying that name over and over on repeat. Same tone in his voice, but a slow expression of growing fear, claimed his expression, as the air was leaving his lungs in a betrayal of his body and mind at the use of the name.

It wasn't until he was completely out of breath and he was doubled over taking great and deep intakes of air, did Ryan move forward and gently place his hand on the boy's back. He had to try and not grimace at the horrible feeling of Sirena's bony spine as detailed as a braille book under his finger tips. "Hey it's okay, come on, just listen." Ryan cooed softly as he set the slow and steady intake for the boy. "In through the nose, out through the mouth. Don't rush, take your time." He knew that Sirena was rather delicate right now. Any head injury in any form was always dangerous. But this was just stupidly dangerous! Sirena's mind would only be able to take so much! His body was frail and his mind was all but destroyed.

"It hurts." Sirena whimpered and made a clawed hand over his chest. His fingers were growing pale in the cold and his eyes were becoming fierce now that the surprise and fear had rushed out of them.

"Try not to speak." Ryan stated firmly and rubbed his thumb across where Sirena's spine was now beginning to show through his skin all the more visibly. He had caught word earlier in the morning that the Sirena hadn't eaten much and refusing food to the point that he had started to be force fed it. Then again, after being fed for so long on a tube, Sirena's stomach wouldn't be happy about being back on solids so quickly. "Let me tell you a story maybe?" Ryan began to ramble on the story that he had found from within a Sirena's book when he had been searching through the boy's possessions, looking for photographs to bring to the hospital, which were now completely abandoned and hidden from sight.

No... actually. He had a better idea for a story.

"O-Okay." Sirena whispered, taking sharp breaths of agony as Ryan wrapped an arm around the boy and Sirena ducked his head against the brunette's chest. His eyes glazed over. _He's on some heavy medication... I doubt he will probably even remember this-  
He doesn't remember anything anymore!  
SHUT UP! _He screamed in his own head.

"There once was a boy... he had spent all of his time alone. He had thought that the only purpose of his life in this world was to go against everything that the world told him was right. He rebelled against adults. He fought against those around him, you see he was a foster kid. He was pretty bad." Ryan smirked. "He was cruel, sadistic, merciless. He didn't care. To him, the world was full of puppets and his only sense was that he was the puppet master. So he did what he thought he did best. He pulled the strings."  
"He sounds very lonely." Sirena whispered softly, staring up at Ryan as the boy took off his jacket and wrapped it around Sirena's shoulders. Shedding his jumper too and as gently as he possibly could settled it down over Sirena's torso. But when the silver haired blond said that, Ryan froze in place.  
"You have no idea." He whispered sadly.  
"I take it, he didn't have many friends, this puppet master?" Sirena asked quietly.  
"Well... that's where the next part of the story comes in." Ryan smirked. "One day, he came across a new toy. After all, that's what he considered people to be. His toys. Just a line of puppets to play with. But it turned out, that it wasn't a toy he found... but another boy." Ryan slowly turned his gaze down.

Staring at Sirena before he had to turn his gaze away.

"He didn't know it then, but a long time ago, he had hurt the other boy. He had let him down..."

Sirena frowned slightly, reaching up and wiping away a lone one of Ryan's tears.

"But he tried to make the boy happy again, and they became friends" Ryan whispered softly, smiling ever so slightly as he remembered. "There were obstacles, but for as stubborn as the other boy was. The first was a match... you see, whenever one left the other followed and vice versa. They were linked together."  
"W-Well what happened to them?" Sirena stared wide eyed.  
Ryan had to look away in pain.  
"He had finally found someone else in the world who wasn't a puppet. He couldn't let it go and soon, without him even knowing it, but by looking at this sassy, bad ass, hot other boy, the first boy fell in love." Ryan whispered that last word as gently as he could. "He didn't realize it though until one day, when the boy had left. He didn't realize just how deeply in love he actually was. So for years, the boy spent his time waiting... just waiting for his friend to come back."  
"Why did the friend leave?" Sirena frowned.  
"Because... he did something brave. So brave. Something that the boy didn't even deserve. But for a second time, the friend did it."  
"Sounds quite selfish of the friend." Sirena frowned.  
"The friend had no choice, he did it out of love. Love he had only ever for the boy apparently."  
"He left him... if the friend had truly loved the boy, wouldn't he have stayed with him? Figured something out that didn't involve him having to leave?"  
"Sometimes there are no other ways."  
"I'd never do that to someone I love." Sirena frowned.  
 _But you did._ Ryan thought.

A long silence grew between both of them awkwardly after that.

It was only when Thomas came back with two coffee's did Ryan look up. His face a mask to cover the agony that he felt swirling inside of him.

"Oh...hey." Thomas looked between the two boys and frowned ever so slightly. "Is everything okay?"  
"Yeah." The brunette snapped, slowly rising from his seat by Sirena. The blond keeping his gaze low. "We were just talking is all..."  
"About what?" Thomas frowned, his face becoming stern.

Ryan just glared at him for a moment before turning his back and heading back into the building.

"Just a stupid love story is all." He muttered before storming off.


	20. Chapter 20

**T** **hanks** **Justice237,** **CharlieSMarts12 and** **Dark Heart 945** **for your reviews. Thank you also** **to everyone for the follows and favorite so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point. I couldn't stop smiling at you guys making the shipping names. So here's a little competition. Who ever comes up with the best ship name, whatever ship it may be for the story, gets it put in the story, along with one scene, of any of there choice. Anything, with any character and any situation. So, competition time. Time to get competitive and creative people ;)**

* * *

Sirena whimpered slightly as he let out a shaky breath. His eyes were focused on every tiny move that his bone and skin like legs made as he lent his weight against the two bars on either side of him. "I-I can't do this." He whispered, his arms trembling with their weak state as he was practically just dragging his body along at this point.  
"I know you can do it. Come on, you know you can do this!"  
"T.J!" Sirena cried out as he fell forward.  
"Got you!"

Thomas smiled ever so slightly as he held the panting boy in his arms. He had been quickly ready encase Sirena would have fallen. He would always be there. He would make sure that he was always going to be there if Sirena ever fell.

Now was no exception.

They were stood in the physiotherapy room. Luckily enough, due to the ward he was on, and because of his condition situations and circumstances. Other than Christina who stood in the corner with a studious gaze, only occasionally calling out for the boy to try something else, it was only him and Sirena.

The walls were a warm brown as they were wood, above a faint light came through the point glass ceiling, painting a picture of falling snow flakes and cold winter claiming. "We need you up and going. I know that you've just woken up, but we have to get your body back into action. No excuses." Christina stated sternly as she lent back against the wooden walls, staring out across the various stations for exercise. A rowing machine. A tread mill. All facing out of the great and large windows which were around certain points of the room, glancing out to the wide cold world outside. Down the path of the hill on the hospital to the large park.

The great trees were blanketed and hidden beneath a cover of white. The lake was frozen over and the stand where the band would play was abandoned to the cold and the solitude of the season.

Thomas however just smiled lightly as he looked down at the boy. Sirena seemed so small now. God, the boy had only woken up early this morning and they wanted him to walk about! But then again Thomas did acknowledge that Sirena had to get moving. His body being on such a low function for so long was certainly dangerous. Sirena had to make sure that he could keep up. He had to make sure that he could get on with this.

But Thomas also made sure that he was keeping a careful eye on the boy's mental health. Even now, Sirena would frown to himself and close his eyes tightly, rubbing his forehead. "It's just a headache." He would say gently, his voice soothing and calm. Whether he knew it or not, Thomas guessed that somethings just never change. A rose by any other name is just as sweet. Sirena had been his rose for a long time... and this rose was sweet, but it had the thorns to go with it.  
"I can't believe it... I just met you this morning and already i'm holding onto you for dear life." Sirena chuckled gently, trying to lighten the tension which had come into the air as he had rubbed his brows.  
"Headache?" Thomas asked gently.  
"Something like that." Sirena nodded and closed his eyes for a minute.

When the boy had regained himself, Thomas helped him move back over to the front of the two lines of banisters. Sirena's grip was weak. A blind man could have seen that. The boy's bony arms trembled violently and his feet were all but dragging themselves as the boy tried to push himself forward.

"You know, maybe you should try wearing a hospital gown?" Thomas chuckled, but his eyes held the sad sympathy which he truly had to shield.

His eyes moved over the various words which had been carved into Sirena's skin. Of course the boy hadn't seen a mirror yet. Thomas dreaded the moment that Sirena would, because then the boy would truly see the extent that those who had hurt him, had done to his body. Those words... though something lingered in Thomas' thoughts as he looked at those specific words; _**TRAITOR**_ , _**PSYCHO**_ , _**SLUT.**_

Those words specifically caught Ryan's attention as he had pondered on this for a long time.

Psycho?

Okay, that was the first interesting word.

Why psycho?

Of all the words that they could have chosen?

Especially considering that it was _Ryan_ who they were supposed to be attacking.

Which brought Thomas to the biggest two important factors that he had always considered over the last couple of years.

Traitor and Slut.

If it had truly been intended for Ryan, then why those two words. Think about it. Why would they, if it had been meant for Ryan, carve those two specific words into his skin.

You see, Thomas had plenty of time to think about this. Especially when he had considered just exactly what he had come from as a kid. He remembered Persephone's family. He remembered the gang. The Olympians they had called themselves in honor of Persephone. Each of them had their own names. Even Sirena and Thomas. They had all been drawn in. They had all done their part to keep their part of the turf: Olympus safe... Olympus they had called it. Ha. If Thomas had given a name for it, inspired by what those idiots had believed themselves as powerful as. Then he would have called their turf: The underworld.

It was hell.

that's hwy when Thomas had thought Sirena to be dead, he had fled. He had ran and not stopped since. Only for Sirena did he stop.

Only for Sirena did he now stand there, smiling encouragingly, pretending to just be some nice stranger who had agreed to help Sirena out with walking. It was something more than weird could ever describe. Here he was. Sirena. The boy that Thomas used to have been in love with and never got to say goodbye because he had thought the boy dead. Here he was, after two years. All the history between them. The countless memories and moment they had shared together.

And Thomas had to pretend that none of it had ever happened.

"A-A penny f-for you-your thoughts?" Sirena huffed, gripping tightly onto the banister, his breathing taking a sharp and painful twist in his chest as he tried with all his might to move his leg normally. To try and appear somewhat stable.  
But Thomas could see through that completely.  
"I'd ask you the same." Thomas said gently, keeping himself ready for any indication that Sirena may stagger.

Thomas could see the fear that the boy tried to keep. The emptiness of his eyes. The void of it's usual sparkle and explosion of performance. Something was very different now. It was like Sirena was a blank slate, just waiting to be filled in. He was trying hard, Thomas could tell as easy as he could see the snow, he could see just how difficult it was for Sirena. The boy knew absolutely nothing of the world around him! Or the people in it! He had his basic knowledge yes, but other than that, people, memories, experiences which shaped him to be the magnificent person that he was. They were gone!

And Thomas couldn't even tell him about it!

Then it happened.

Sirena's arms gave out and Thomas was there in an instance. His arms wrapping around Sirena as the boy finally broke down, letting go of what he had been so desperately holding onto all this day since he had woken up. Trying to hide what he had felt, trying to conceal it deep inside of him. "Hey now, hush, it's okay. It's okay." Thomas whispered as Sirena ducked his head against the boy's chest, his fist coming up weakly and hitting onto the material of Thomas' jacket. But it was okay, Sirena was so weak that it barely felt as though anything had hit Thomas at all.

"It's just dark. It's all so dark. It hurts. It hurts like fire. It feels like my head is burning! Everything is so dark and new! Everything is so confusing! I don't know what to do! I don't know what to do!" The boy sobbed over and over, his bony and slender fingers curling tightly into Thomas' jumper as he sobbed.

Christina slowly crouched behind him and placed a hand as lightly as she could on Sirena's bony back. She had to hold back the sadness as feeling his weak body.

"Let me tell you a story." She whispered softly, earning Sirena's tear full gaze before she began.

 _'_ _He sat slowly at the oak table as he drummed his fingers gently along the smooth surface. That blasted memory was only one of his problems... His amber eyes tracing every single imprinted ring of age along the hard resource. He still could see it. The place that this table had once stood tall as a tree. It had bore great amounts of fruit and food for him whenever he had come to taste it's beauty. So much care and love for it had been pushed into the single growth that he had often left himself sick or set the needs of the plant above himself... look where that had gotten him. Sat now at a table with a blade in his hand as his hand delicately now traced the patterns in deep memory of where it had once stood._

 _Oh the glorious beauty that it had been. So firm that he had hidden himself away with it when he had found it broken and harmed. All on that one special day he had been sprinting through the forest._

 _There had been news that the beast from the mountains had been drawing nearer to the towns... the beast that the boy used to dare call the owner of his heart. But that was a long time ago, a very long time indeed. Back when the days blurred together in childhood innocent incompetence, and no nimble, golden crown of wreathed thorn vines and roses rested upon his brow. When the tittle of 'The prince of the bloody rose thorn' did not hang around his neck like a inconvenient noose._

 _So many days of his childhood were spent in the embrace of the warm forest. Every day running past the winding expanse of everything around him, he would closed his eyes and feel the thick energies running through him. The warm, ancient guardians of the forest. The ever changing tunes of the crystal creek rivers which played for his ears and the clarity of the blue skies above him. The blur of days he had watched as the air brushed through the cherry blossom trees that his brother had planted a few days before hand of his death. Now they were already fully grown with full and wild branches of the warmest pink blossom. So absolutely beautiful and comforting in this still strange place which the prince liked to call home. The thick and dark of the tree trunks which had sunk their roots in deeply after feeding on a daily dose of his love and care. How much longer could he spend here without calling it truly home?_

 _But he remembered that day certainly._

 _He ran faster and longer than any other day in his life. Running from the wrath and call of his king who had demanded blood on the boy's dagger. Demanding a show of power and assurance that the boy was the true blood of his blood. The spirit of his divided soul..._

 _But the boy had just turned and ran after almost embedding the dagger in the king's neck under the dark illusions of anger. How could it be demanded that there would only be a claim over the control between who lived and died! It was sickening._

 _Back to the point at hand._

 _It was only when he reached the other side of the expanse of growth where he knew no one else ever went, did he finally stop. The rose bushes were growing in full bloom next to the sparkling river while a coven of strong standing oaks stood around the area as though they were soldiers protecting their king._

 _Ironic to the point of cold laughter, the boy thought._

 _He liked coming here though, He often did when his father was working late and quite a lot more frequently with the passing of his brother when he would feel lonely._

 _He would sit on the old rope swing and gently push out as it rocked him back and forth over the water. The gentle breeze would caress his face and kiss his skin as it brushed back his hair with love. But whenever he started this swinging, he would always become rather pensive. 'Why had I run like that from father? Why had it felt so wrong... and yet so alluringly delicious. The feel of a dagger in his hand as he could finally silence the voice of stupidity which had demanded control. "Why can't nothing in my life just go right for once!" He argued with the thoughts which violently hurled the memories and feelings of blood lust at him. "I'm sick of these stupid dreams! I'm sick of always being alone!" I whispered and wiped away the slowly oncoming tears._

 _No don't cry. Don't cry. Never show your weakness... only your petals to draw them in then repel them away._

 _Little did he know that the tears watering the ground had begun to send frantic whispers among the trees. Their adopted son of the prince was crying! He was in pain! Their child and baby was breaking._

 _They had to do something for him. Remove the pain. Remove the agony which had presented itself into his life. Remove the agony which no longer could be sustained in the borders and corners of a mind. They had to fight against the bitter cold that had become him. They had to revive him! They had to save him!_

 _At first he pushed himself off the swing and let his body smash into the soft moss which held him in a close embrace. He needed to feel it's embrace across his cold and lean form. He needed the warmth to burn through the pain which was becoming him. May the gods damn that beast in the mountain, his mind would never have been such a jumble of confusion if it hadn't had been for that... for that... Gorgon! That stupid snake boy who would do nothing but taunt him with alluring truths and dreams of escape. Rogue stories of soldiers who had turned against the gods in rage and now had their own names; Hydra, Minotaur... now there was this boy. The bitter spawn of a victim. The essence of pain incarnate as it resided up there in the belly of a fiery volcano._

 _How could he truly go and find that beast when he was the son of the vile tyrant. How could he seek out the warmth that anything else deserved- "Wait what are you doing." He whispered as his eyes shined out from under his mousy brown hair of a fringe. He could feel the tendrils and roots slowly rising out the ground beneath him as they hugged his skin and arms. The life of the forest was here kindling him like a lost puppy finding it's owner. "W-What are you doing?"_

 _Okay so the roots of trees were moving over him and slowly lifting him of the ground, rocking him as though he was a baby in a manger... certainly not one of the weirdest things that he had ever seen._

 _But this was familiar. He knew this aura. He had sensed it almost every night in his sleep. Every time he wanted to hide and get out of his dreams he could feel this aura. Clambering him back violently to the surface of reality and holding him tight in a solitary embrace. He could never run from it. It was just as he knew now why the tree seemed to repel life and yet give an aura of it out. Whispering in his sleep. Talking to him through dreams as it repelled his own life away and gave out warmth to the forest._

 _But then his father had come and brought the tree down for kindling and the care and love of forest had stopped. The warmth that had kept his garden and kingdom alive had begun to flee. The life of the trees began to sink away till absolutely nothing was left._

 _"YOU DID THIS!" He screamed as he threw his smaller fists against the chest of his larger father. His eyes blurred with the mist and pain of tears. "WHY! WHY DID YOU BRING DOWN THE TREES! WHY!" He cried as finally his father rose a hand and brought it down, sending his son flying to the floor. His hard and cold brown eyes were nothing like the floor of the forest. They held no love. No kinship. No love or acknowledgement for the sacrifices the world around him made just to keep him alive._

 _The boy had always planted a sapling for any and all trees that had been brought down into the forest. He had cared for and nursed the young of any animal which had been hunted and left a family which had been left to the wild and pain._

 _But the father cared not for any of that. He cared not for the large, stinging red mark which had been left on the boy's cheek out of his undirected anger. "Remember your place, brat." The man glared before turning with a large and sharp burst of his trailing cloak as the black velvet silk dragged across the floor. His black and emerald insignia clothing was his mark to the world, just like his sons._

 _But then came the final insult of all of this._

 _The burning wood had been thrown into the boy's bed room. The main trunk had been carved into the main centre point table of the room. The book shelves which held the boy's diaries and journals were made from the large branches. A daily reminder that even the world and care of his heart could be rendered useless..._

 _Which brought him to this._

 _Sitting as now he span the edge point of his knife over his finger in deep thought. His once warm amber eyes now suffering with the thought and silence which haunted him to his very soul. "Please." He whispered. "Talk to me. I'm not him." His voice brushed through the air in agony as he turned his head out onto the wilting garden. The emerald expanse of sheer beauty. The swirling patterns of the forming and cut lawn. The beauty of patterns between contrasts of green! The lighter! The darker! The blossom of the trees! The petals of the roses and their thorns! It had to come back! It had to! "It's killing me!" The boy slammed his hand down gently as he pushed his face to rest against the wood. His tears splashing quietly in silent anger and frustration as he could do nothing any more. "What can I do?! Please! What can I do?! I'm not him! I'm not my father!" His pale fingers curled into a fist as he moved his knuckles across the cold surface._

 _Then he finally heard it! Oh the extreme beauty which was that voice of the forest! Some would have called it absolute madness, insanity, the whispers of the evils from Hades... but not to him. He knew that voice! It was the voice of the forest. 'Beating has gone, death is life, drain from the living or we will never bloom again.' It sang weakly over and over in his head. It's whimpering voice was pained in admission but also excited in it's claim._

 _His eyes locked onto the knife. "Beating has gone." He looked down at the oak table. "Death if life." He raised the blade high and let the light of the sun fill it. Every ounce of possible sunlight getting into the harsh steel. "Drain from the living." He caught his breath. "Or we will never bloom again."_

 _His eyes slammed shut as he brought his dagger down onto his chest and slashed open widely as his life force splattered across the oak wood. Twisting his wrist as he dug the burning blade in deeper and screamed his lungs out till he was sure his throat was bleeding. All the while not caring as he just carved the blade through his skin. His legs giving way for a moment when he came crashing down, sprawled across the surface. "B-Beat again." He thought as slowly he pulled himself back up. The blood oozing and rushing in streams out of his chest as fast as he could take a step. The crimson life source was painting the oak with a new love and life._

 _"Do it." The voice whispered over and over._

 _"Not here. No. Not here." The boy responded over and over. His eyes half lidded as his exhaustion and pain were overcoming him._

 _But he had to do this... it was just as the beast in the mountains had told him. Beauty came from within... and now he would make this garden beautiful again with his own sacrifice._

 _The branches bowed back with the trunks as they presented a walkway of golden floored autumn leafs to fractures tree trunk and ruined remains of the decimated forest heart. "Beating... returns."_

 _He plunged his hand into the large slash with a scream as with one almighty grip and strength of will, he removed his gift to the forest which had been plaguing him his entire life._

 _It was such an odd sensation holding the still beating organ in his hand. The thing which had once caused him so much agony and cost him a life on the above mountain village, now was what he would give to bring the forest back to life. "P-Please." He begged as he stumbled forward and looked at the dead trees. Tears falling down his pale cheeks as the hood of his velvet cloak was raised over his head, hiding the crimson splashes and stains. "Come back to me. P-Please!" He looked around at the large, grey broken trunks which had been slashed and hacked away out of mercy. "I-I never planned for any of this." He shook his head violently._

 _Slowly with cupped hands he placed it onto the spiked tree trunk with the last light of his life. His eyes rolling back. His crown slowly coming away as the breeze rushed through his stained strands of hair. Falling onto the tendrils roots which raised to hold him. "It was worth it." He smiled as his breath left his lungs._

 _He had no idea of what was about to course through his body._

 _The prince of bloody rose thorn was about to take a leaf out of the book of monsters._

 _And now he was reborn.'_

"Interesting story choice." Thomas whispered, his eyes locked on Sirena who seemed to have at lest calmed down a bit.  
"The boy sacrificed everything for that which he loved." Christina said as gently as she could. Her eyes piercing into Sirena as deeply as possible. Her curtain of chestnut brown hair was a neat curtain behind her shoulders. "He was... A Rose."

Christina and Thomas exchanged a look as the blond gave her a warning glare.

Christina just held up her hand ever so slightly that only Thomas would notice.

"He was beautiful with his petals but he had thorns to go with." Christina carried on slowly. Her hand still soothed along Sirena's back as the boy just now sniffed and occasionally let out a soft sob, putting his head against Thomas' chest. "You're reborn." She said as gently as possible. "Take the opportunity, you're going to get out of here and see a world. A world you won't fully understand completely, anymore." She carried on, looking Sirena dead in the eye as she knew it was time that someone had to talk straight to him.

Though she knew she wouldn't push him too far. She would be there to support him, whatever the trouble.

"So take this chance. Don't worry about what you don't know. Because it's not what's behind is that is important. It's what's in front of you! You woke up! There are people here who may never wake up." She reached out her hand further and placed it on the crying boy's shoulder. "Make friends... I see you already have with Thomas here."

A faint trace of crimson moved through Sirena's sunken cheeks as the boy turned his gaze down slightly.  
"H-He's been incredible. I only met him this morning and he's already given me a gift, helped me to get some fresh air, and calmed me." Sirena gazed up at the blond for a moment with something in his eyes almost like awe.

No one seemed to notice a certain brunette stood in the doorway with his eyes locked onto Thomas with a new found glare.

"So. Tell us. Not from what you think you know. Ignore the dark spots. Think now, in the spot light." Christina smiled gently, brushing away the long curtain of Sirena's hair. "What is your name."

The ice cold haired blond stared for a moment. Lowering his gaze but only receiving a encouraging nod from Thomas when he glanced up.

"Jack." He whispered. "I want to be called Jack."

Ryan stared with wide eyes in the doorway.

Before a smile split across his face.

 _There's something still in there. Sirena. Rose. Jack. Whoever. But I know it. I know it!_

Ryan's face nearly split from the beaming smile.

 _He's fighting back!_ He thought with glee.


	21. Chapter 21

**T** **hanks** **Justice237** **and** **Dark Heart 945** **for your reviews. Thank you also** **to everyone for the follows and favorite so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point.**

* * *

The morning slowly crept it's way over the hill as the sun light began to crawl through a pair of closed curtains into a dark room. The room entailed was decorated with a soft blue paint which was beginning to peel away slightly from old age. Posters were placed all over the place of numerous boy bands which had become the favorite of the owner's of the old room owner.

They had been stuck up over the last couple of years to give it back half of it's life. As a message to those who lived in the house. That no matter how far away he was. A certain silver haired blond would always be part of the home.

But, a certain boy who was laid fast asleep in bed just yawned, his mind transfixed in his dreams about that certain blond.

Numerous posters of bands such as The script and random bands were posted over the bed.

Slowly the blankets began to shift slowly as sun light hit the bed and a soft groan made it's way out. "Damn it." The gentle voice moaned. Slowly from the covers a mop of brown hair began to become more visible. It had once been a wild burst of spiked hair but as the months and weeks had paced recently, it became a more controlled and darker mess. It fell slightly over the boy's cold eyes before he blew up gently and the curled fringe flopped to the side. He grinned slightly and stared at the posters before yawning.

"Let's see if-" He paused for a moment as he stared down at screen of his phone which had lit up with an alert from receiving a text message.

 _One text message_ _received at 8:00 am. From-_

Ryan paused with and went wide eyed as suddenly he caught sight of his screen flashing with the picture of Jack's bright and smiling face next to his, as the smaller boy was blushing brightly as he had pushed a kiss into Ryan's cheek.

It had been the night they had gone out on their first date. Ryan hadn't the heart to delete Sirena's number from his phone... the sim must have survived?  
"Princess?" He wondered quietly and traced his finger over the screen.

He smiled brightly as he got out the bed and looked at his reflection before opening the screen and studying the message.

 _Jack: Uh hey... Ryan was it? Sorry. I'm still trying to get my head focused... everything is still quite misty. However, I was wondering if we could walk through the park again today like you said yesterday when you found me and Thomas?_

Ryan's smile just bewitched him completely. It had pretty much been the first time that the boy had been the one to reach out to him! It must have been a good sign right? Ryan was becoming more and more comfortable around him. Maybe deep down... hopefully. Deep down, maybe Jack was trying to reach out to him.

But now the boy hadn't seen him in the last long weeks. Sure they talked on the phone, and even played online over the Xbox. Kyle couldn't help but grin when Alex had proved to still be just as amazing as ever on everything.

But something did worry Kyle. Something that Kyle had found inside the boy's journal one evening when he had been missing Alex, and decided to read one of the boy's stories to feel a bit closer to him.

Right now though, he had to get ready!

 _Ryan: Sure! Stick to the plan! Is Bruce going to walk you over?_

Bruce was one of Jack's new friends. The two had met up in the hospital thanks to a small chat that Christina and Ryan had together. Ryan had asked her were there any other kids around the hospital who had been in a similar condition to Jack, with amnesia or maybe even having recently woken up from a coma? It had been a massive long shot, but it had turned out to be a great one.

Bruce Jackson.

Fifteen year old. Recently diagnosed with amnesia about three months ago. Coma patient, woke up about two weeks before Jack did. It was like another of Ryan's prayer had been answered. Jack and Bruce seemed to have hit it off right away. The mutual understanding between them over the confusion of the world around them had only aided them and bonded them closer.

Bruce was kind enough though. A shy ink haired boy, timid and more on the scrawny side. He had warm brown eyes and pale skin. He would only ever dress rather tamed, more on the side of trying not to show off too much of himself or trying to hide as much of himself as possible.

 _Jack: Yeah. T.J too. I will be around your house in ten. Be ready to go?  
Ryan: Sure =). Let me know when you're outside!  
_ _Jack: Will do x_

He almost burst into laughter as he ran a hand through the dark red locks. It was taking such long and hard progress, but it was becoming easier. They were starting to become friends again. After the long and hard process of actually getting within the same block area of him and maintaining a calm mask!

Which was why Ryan knew exactly where he would be taking the boy today!

He just hoped that he didn't look too shaggy like with his unkempt hair. He would probably end up getting it cut soon.

He still smiled softly as he looked over to the wardrobe and came across a old and faded emerald winter cap. He let a small laugh escape out from between his lips and couldn't help smile even more brightly. So _glad I wore that hat as a kid._ He laughed as he thought back to when he was younger and in school.

School days... when everything had been so much easier! Sure there was all those crazy and wild games, but there had also been real life to deal with. He was trying to achieve in school and be the best he could at manipulating all those damn puppets! That had been one game that he had played by himself and still played now.

No matter how much everything changed... he had always still been able to study and achieve in school.

Why was it now that when he had been coming towards the end of the summer term that he had been beginning to mess up on the preparation tests, which would give them an idea what it would be like next year before they went to college.

Jack... Jack was the answer to that.

Having your boyfriend attacked and beaten, then put in a coma for two years. Yeah. That took a lot of thought into someone's mind.

It would be so strange... though, not getting to see the others much any more, he would be on his way to a halfway house soon... but then again, who did he actually even have left to see? The only people around the home that he even still bothered to talk to were Elektra and Thomas... the latter of who Ryan was beginning to grow very, very cautious over.

He didn't like the way that Thomas was staring at his Princess.

But that didn't change the fact about him though. That he was quiet and always sticking to himself, becoming solitary with every growing week. The only time that he even actually saw the others any more was when he would run into the house to grab his change of clothes from having to go to school. Or when he had to put the fear of god into Carmen when the cow tried to steal Jack's old clothes.

He sighed again softly as he looked back at him self. His flat brown hair still curled at the sides around his ears and he would often just brush them back.

He paused and his eyes widened slightly as he grinned brightly.

No more Carmen. No more of these idiots. No more of these people!

A whole new set of toys to play with!

He soon cranked up the radio as he jumped about and smiled happily. In the new light his smooth body was hypnotic. As he spun and sang along with the singers on the radio. _"Check yes Juliet Are you with me?"_ He reached into his wardrobe and pulled out an orange shirt before pulling over his head and letting it cling to his sides as it framed him. He looked back into the wardrobe. The clothes were all thrown about in a pile. "THOMAS HAVE YOU BEEN GOING THROUGH MY CLOTHES AGAIN!" he shouted before realizing that the boy wasn't actually there. To be fair, he had only just woken up. So shaking his head he went back to listening the music. _  
"Rain is falling down on the sidewalk"  
"I won't go until you come outside"  
"Check yes Juliet"  
"Kill the limbo"  
"I'll keep tossing rocks at your window" _The volume on the radio increased and he was pretty sure the others could hear it by now. But he didn't care, he loved the song. Check it Juliet, it seemed to always be playing over and over in his head. _  
"There's no turning back for us_ _tonight_ " He hopped around on the spot as he did a mix between dancing and trying to pull some boxers and shorts on. When he fell and landed on his butt he just laughed.  
"RYAN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP THERE?" Mike just called up. "You're going to be late to the hospital! I thought you both were going out together today!"  
"Don't worry Mom!" He smirked, knowing how Mike hated being called that. He quickly pulled some socks on as he looked outside his window. It was one of those rare days when, the sun was shinning. Oh no. It wasn't. It was one of those usual days where the snow came down heavily in a blizzard. He would have to dress warm for where they were going.

He pulled his jeans up and smirked as he pulled himself into a nearby chair. Losing himself in the blissful idea that he would never have to see these idiots ever again after next year! He would never have to deal with that with these broken toys ever again!

Which was why he would have to definitely win the game this time.

Ryan grinned deeply to himself as he sat back in his chair and gently ran his hands over the cold and smooth cover of Jack's journal. His masterpiece. The only thing that Ryan had right now to connect back to his boyfriend. Back to the boy who didn't look at him as though he was a complete and utter stranger, standing in a long and winding field of mist. He didn't know what worried him more. The fact that Sirena was now would be here by himself soon. Well, not by himself, Ryan would make sure that they got to share a room together.

But with Jack out of the hospital very soon. That meant the boy was by himself a lot of the time now. For as much as the boy had taken up a friendship with Bruce and with Thomas. Jack still spent a lot of his time by himself. He would always excuse himself as politely as possible and then go to clear his head. He was trying to move by himself a lot more now, and Ryan couldn't have been prouder of the blond.

Barely five or so days awake and Jack was already pushing himself as hard as he could. Pushing himself to walk more and to try and build up the strength of his body.

Maybe he was pushing himself too hard... but Ryan thought that he was beginning to understand why. Everyone was so amazed completely by the physical success that Jack was showing, that they barely took time to look at the other area of damage.

That's right.

Ryan really did worry sometimes, just how much everything really had effected Jack's mental state.

Had they all missed something with the boy?

But right now the boy was just too damn excited! This would have been the first time he had actually seen the boy since Christmas day

How should he dress?

Well... with the spot of the park that they were going too, he had a pretty good idea just how he should dress.

He discarded his shirt just as quickly as he had pulled it on. Swapping it swiftly for a sleeveless black shirt and letting the tight fitting shape slide down over him before pulling on a long white scarf around his neck and letting it trail out behind him in the air as it seemed almost suspended in the breeze. "Perfect." He whispered and opened the window to let the cold air brush over him. He was used to not feeling the cold at all, but still... he guessed that it was better to be safe than sorry. "RYAN! YOUR FRIENDS ARE HERE!" Mike bellowed.

"What?"

He checked down to his phone and noticed that there was now an amount of numerous missed calls. While outside his window he saw the figures of three boys all stood close to each other as they shivered because of the cold wind which was beginning to rapidly pick up. "Yeah,yeah, don't worry." He rolled his eyes and sprinted out the room and down the stairs, taking two at a time as he went.

He wasn't entirely sure what to expect at first when he walked out the front door with the emerald jacket slung over his shoulder. He certainly wasn't expecting to see Thomas smiling at the boy with Bruce as they were hugged close to him, keeping him warm as he trembled slightly.

But with the sound of the closing door, all three began to turn around and look at him.

Thomas stood silent and dominant as the small groups guardian. His face was stony cold now that Ryan had walked out. It gave away absolutely no emotion away like it did when he looked towards Bruce and Jack.

Thomas was dressed in a blue woolly jacket with a black collar shirt underneath. His black hair was slightly visible under his blue hood but still seemed to keep the strong image of himself and everything about him. The way he stood and gravitated towards Jack and Bruce just all the bit more. The way his eyes bore through Ryan as though trying to see if he was some kind of threat or not... Accident or not, ever since that day that Ryan had nearly slipped up on his entire story to Jack, Thomas had been taking a more, careful approach to the brunette.

Thomas' face was still pale, though apart from the dark circles around his eyes and the pink tinge to his eye lids, there was absolutely nothing new to his usual impassive and cold exterior... at least none that Ryan could see other than it was now pointed at him more. He wore his as usual symbolic skinny jeans and expensive designer trainers- which Ryan realized after studying them a bit closer, had the same signature and brand name on as Jack's favorite pair did!

Upon seeing Ryan's slight frown, Thomas shot him a smug look and received a slight and playful hit from Bruce.

Bruce was dressed in a whole new outfit. His old shirt being replaced by a smart fitted collarless and sleeveless t-shirt under a black cotton coat. A loose chain belt moved through the boy's black jeans and he ran a nervous hand through his thick and bouncing black locks of hair.

His eyes shifting rapidly from spot to spot of focus as he edged closer to Thomas who was more than happy to embrace the boy in soft arms, to provide Bruce with some comfort. After all, this was Bruce's first trip out of the hospital too. "M-Morning R-Ryan!" He yelped softly as his nervous twitch became slightly worse for a moment.

"Humph." Thomas muttered under his breath and leaned down, who eased rapidly after the comforting gesture Thomas gave him.

But that left one person.

Ryan watched the figure of Jack beginning to slowly turn. His hair had been cut quite a lot from the curtain of silver locks and long fringe which had used to cover the boy's eyes.

Now there were spots the boy himself had finished cutting along the sides after seeing how mismatched the bold patched had looked. Sure it had grown back quite rapidly, but when Jack had finally seen the mirror and reflection of himself, Christina had told Ryan that the blond boy had gone wild nearly, crying and desperate, hiding from any mirror that he had seen.

He had ended up grabbing a knife and slashing the curtain of his hair apart.

Bruce and Christina had found the sobbing boy hiding in his room after that and the woman had hushed him gently to silence, Bruce had held him and rocked him comfortably till Ryan had managed to get there. At which point he had only sat down in the room, saying he had been passing by and had heard the crying to he had checked in to see if Jack was okay.

The blond boy had barely even recognized him to be there.

Two years ago, Ryan would have been the _only_ person there. The _only_ person that Jack would have allowed himself to be held by.

But that wasn't the biggest shock. Jack had cut his hair reasonably short on the sides now and left the top a bit more wild, which once again were all defiant spikes but now with a fringe of fallen spikes on the front to match.

His face was a lot skinnier, the boy looked exhausted and as though he had been beaten down a flight of stairs... had he not been eating or something? Had the dreams and nightmares been getting to him too much? Why hadn't anyone told Ryan that the boy had lost this much progress and made him believe that everything was okay...

But still... those beautiful blue eyes. Those turquoise, ice cold eyes which could have been the season around them, captured.

They looked so ancient now.

Once so full of life and joy... they looked all but nearly destroyed.

"Stare a bit harder dude." Thomas growled beneath his breath and watched Jack turn his gaze down slightly as the boy pulled out a length of thin rope between his fingers and began tying knots with it, but as quickly as he had tied a length of them across the rope, he quickly undid them and started all over again! "One, two, three, four, two, one, three, four." Jack whispered quietly, over and over again like a chant to himself.

For a moment Thomas glanced at Bruce who nodded in response before the normally impassive boy lent forward slightly so that he was on level with Jack. "Hey, how about we go ahead and they catch up?" He whispered ever so softly, and a smile that Ryan had only ever seen on the very rarest of occasions.

A real smile.

"Two, three, four, one, five." Jack chanted to himself over and over as though this was some kind of response... and it worked. Thomas seemed to understand instantly and nodded before pulling an arm around the boy and guiding him away as quickly and as possible smoothly as he could.

"It's something we tried and found out that it worked. I do it sometimes as well... it helps."

Ryan stumbled slightly till he realized that Bruce had spoken. His eyes had been so fixed on the image of Jack in the long sleeved jumper with the rich cream colour. The way the boy walked with small stumbles of a very slight limp in his midnight black jeans. His hands still working away furiously on the rope as he was talking to Thomas about something which he could not hear now that they were so far away... but Thomas just seemed to nod for a moment before responding to what ever Sirena had said.

Bruce stood close to Kyle, watching both of them with the softest and most loving of smiles. His nerves seemingly now under control, had become this caring look which he almost encased both Thomas and Jack with. "What do you mean? What exactly was that?"

"You. S-staring at him." Bruce said quietly, counting the paces in his head before beginning to walk after them with Ryan next to him. "Jack has become a lot more..." He paused as he seemed to be searching for a word that was most accurate and soft in it's phrasing. "Aware of himself." He finally decided after tasting the word. His gave became quickly sadder as he watched Thomas wrap an comforting arm around the boy. "People looking at him for too long... It's like shoving that mirror back in front of him again."

"That doesn't explain what I just saw." Ryan stated as he turned a slight frown on the black haired boy. His glare piercing so far into those eyes that Bruce flinched slightly and Ryan had to remind himself, that this wasn't an ordinary puppet he was playing with.

"He has a difficulty breaking apart what is going on his head and what actually is happening. So we were reading a book the other day and decided to try something from it." Bruce shrugged. "No foul, no harm."

"Okay. Now please exactly explain what was with the rope. And what book exactly did you get this from?" Ryan kept his voice in that cold deadpan style.

"Well... we were reading Mockingjay. You know. The last book in the hunger games trilogy?"

"Yes." Ryan grated out, openly showing his disapproval.

"The rope more or less is to keep his mind focused on something else and his hands busy... you know. So that he can't... do anything to hurt himself." Bruce said the last bit quietly as though there were people who might have been listening in.  
"Hurt himself?" Ryan echoed back. His eyes narrowing while they all but practically glowed with anger. "Hurt himself... exactly how?" He gritted his teeth tightly.

Then he caught sight of it.

Just for a few seconds as Jack rubbed the inside of his arm, the jumper which was about three sizes too big for him, just sloped on his shoulder and the long sleeves rod up a bit along his bony arms.

Flashing a small bit of pearly white bandage beneath.

Pearly white, tainted with a long line of crimson.

Ryan glowered over at Bruce and then Thomas for a minute. Taking a long time to steel himself before he trusted himself to speak again.

"And... what they are doing now?" He pointed between Thomas who still was comforting the smaller boy.

"After being initially calmed down so that he isn't completely frantic, Jack asks a question about something that is going through his head and Thomas says yes or no, just like in the book, and then gives a brief explanation. But the questions do vary. Whether that be a question about something that has happened-"

"The doctors told us all we weren't allowed to tell him anything about his past!" Ryan hissed quietly.

"We know that." Bruce nodded to himself. "And surprisingly, Jack hasn't asked one question about his past to us. He knows we're not allowed to answer him anyway, and yes he's desperate to know. But, he never wants to put is in that awkward situation where we want to tell him and he's desperate to know." Bruce sighed gently.

"How do you know he's so desperate to find out." Ryan asked.

Thomas and Bruce had been the only ones other than Christina to actually spend time with him, since the day he had woken up. They had been the only ones... she approved of to be around him by the hospital without fear for anything happening to the boy..

After all. The last time they had seen Ryan, he had tried to put King's head through a wall and a floor then nearly fucked up by almost telling the boy his complete past!

Bruce raised an eyebrow and looked further into Ryan's face to try and bring him out of his thoughts. "Well apart from the very fact that, he's had his entire life up to about..." He paused counting the days in his head. "Up to about the last four or five days, which he's had to spend mostly in a hospital bed. Wouldn't you be desperate to know? I mean... to not no longer know who you are? To have it all taken away from you." Bruce's voice became quieter. His eyes locked dead ahead of them and Ryan sighed.  
"I'm sorry... I miss spoke."  
"It's okay... I've made peace with my side." Bruce said gently. His eyes seemingly sad.  
 _Liar._ Ryan thought.  
"But most of all... It's the look in his eyes." The ink haired boy said softly.  
"What?"  
"His eyes. He puts up a good mask." Bruce nodded. "But... That look in his eyes. The way sometimes, even when he's tying the rope to try and distract himself, or the way he reacts when a question get's answered for him. He looks so... so lost. Then he looked at me and Thomas as though we were someone who could actually pull him out of everything. Like we were the ones who could help him." Bruce just let another sigh lose and ran a hand across his eyes as his body began to twitch slightly.

"And you're okay with them being so, cuddly close?" Ryan pointed between both the boys ahead of him and turned his head back to Bruce who had a smile once again, playing across his lips.

"I'm not a jealous t-type R-Ryan." He whispered before turning a smile back to both boys in front of them. "Thomas would never admit it... but I think deep down, he struggles too. Like me t-twitching around people." He blinked slightly and a rogue tremble broke through him. "Or like Jack with his memory and questioning... he struggles opening up in front of people, or getting close to people." He pulled his arms around his torso slowly as he shivered from the cold. "But lately, he's been so caring and protective with Jack. I'm not sure at first whether it was just because Jack was close to me when we were in hospital, and because me and Thomas have been friends the last couple of weeks... but. After a while I began to notice Thomas was getting closer and closer to him. He became as protective of Jack as he was of me, when I had first woke up!" He smiled as he let that image fill his head. "They're good for each other. Thomas is the right emotional stone to be steady for Jack. And Jack is the perfect person for Thomas to now explore being a lot more open around."

He glanced over at Ryan who was keeping his face impassive. "I know it hurts." He said quietly.

"I'm not hurting."

"B-but we're here for you as well." Bruce smiled.

The boy blushed and Ryan just rolled his eyes.

"I'm here for Jack." He growled in warning. "I'm here only for Jack till the day that he's back in my arms again." He looked the boy up and down as he sped up. "So don't waste your breath." He snarled.

He caught up with the other two who fell into silence as Ryan nodded down a path of roses and flowers which were kept under a blanket of snow. "We're here." He stated, seeing a clearing open up through the park just ahead of them.

A large hill and valley of flickering candles, full of people ice skating on the lake, dancing through the snow, or just walking hand in hand.

"Masquerade hill." Ryan smirked behind his mask, glancing over at Thomas who gave him a scolding stern look. "A great place for music, fun and to hang out... I should know. I have the best _memories_ of this place." He muttered the last part, turning his head away as he began the slow walk down the hill.


	22. Chapter 22

**T** **hanks** **Dark Heart 945** **for your review ^_^ . Thank you also** **to everyone for the follows and favorite so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point. Okay, competition finishes in seven days to give people plenty of time to join in if they want to. So, five days from now, I'll announce the winner, good luck! ^_^**

* * *

Jack felt slightly confused... okay. That was a bit unfair, he spent most of his time confused now. But he had a feeling that he was missing something, and not just his memories when he glanced between the two boys who now stood silent, glowering each other down.

Though... they weren't exactly glowering at each other while they did it.

Bruce just gave a gentle smile. "Hey Jack, why don't we go take a walk." He patted his friend's back as lightly as possible, leading Jack away down the hill. Only pausing to mutter, "while these two evidently have a competition to see who has the bigger dick." Then taking Jack off down to the lake to watch the ice skaters move across the pearly surface.

"Okay. What the hell?" Thomas snapped, once Jack and Bruce were out of ear shot.  
"I would be asking just the same." Ryan snarled, his eyes narrowing ferociously as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

The air was briskly sharp. Slowly biting into both boys despite the layer of clothes that they wore. The snow was blowing in violently at the peak of the hill around them. Had it been visible, the tension which sparked around both of them felt like the crackle of electricity. The wind caught blowing Ryan's scarf slightly on the breeze, whipping it back against the boy's face, highlighting the startling dark of his eyes in that moment. The strength of Ryan's bare arms, the boy's slender body. The sharp angular features of the boy's jaw. Right there and then, his dark gaze seemed to say as thousand words.

The black of the midnight dark scarf seemed to suit Ryan all the more. He stood there, looking as solitary and as dark as some young movie villain. His gaze as piercing as a knife under skin would be.

While Thomas stood above him, slightly higher up on the slope.

His blue jacket whipping out behind him, like the cap and hooded cowl of some hero. His golden hair shined like sunlight. His sculpted and strong body stood, casting it's shadow down onto Ryan. That's okay though. Thomas could stand there all he wanted, looking like the super hero of their little story. Ever so noble, ever so calm in his intent. Ever so humble in himself. The one who made both the girls and boys swoon. The one who had managed to click back with Jack as though it was the easiest thing in the world.

No!

No! It would not happen like this!

"Ryan." Thomas sighed, returning the gaze with a blank canvas of his own face. "What's this all about?" He asked softly in the gentle voice which always won him the hearts of whoever he was speaking to.

It wasn't like when Jack or Ryan had ever tried to hide anything, no, it wasn't as simple as just wearing a mask. With Thomas it was literally like the whole boy's face was a canvas of cold stone. It was impossible to read anything from him! Ryan's game of getting into the boy's head to see what he was thinking by his reactions wouldn't work... but Ryan could still push those buttons.

Quite. Easily.

"Don't play dumb with me Blondie. Even if I hadn't of known you, I know Jack, which means that I know not all blonds are bumbling idiots!" Ryan let both arms hang at his side. His fingers flexing slowly and carefully, moving into tight fists one moment and then erratically flexing out the next. His anger boiled inside of him like a slow fire. "I want to know what the hell you're up to. I kept my mouth shut for two years, I said nothing about you and Jack because of all that you did for me and him. But I swear to god. If you-"  
"You're jealous?!" Thomas exclaimed. His eyes narrowing. "You're seriously jealous?!"  
"When my boyfriend is getting close to his ex. Hmm, let me think... am I jealous? Answer is, no."  
"But you don't trust Jack."  
"Oh, I understand him. With all that he has of my heart, I really do. But you on the other hand. I trust as about as far as I can throw you... actually, let me rephrase that, because if you keep this up? I swear, you'll be surprised how far I can throw you. After all, the hospital have a open bed now." Ryan growled darkly, his eyes flashing with malice.  
"So you still don't trust him. You don't trust him enough that maybe he will recover from this, somewhat. Or you don't trust him enough to come back to you."  
"No. Don't make this about me." Ryan laughed coldly. "This isn't about me. Jack has an excuse, you don't."  
"Then what's your excuse for nearly wrecking the boy." Thomas barked taking a step forward.

Ryan had to keep his surprise tamed. He knew that there was a dark side to the boy which didn't show that often. But staring up at the boy's eyes now, he could understand why Jack used to have an interest in him. Jack was drawn to the darkness in others, just as Ryan was. Heck. Anyone who played the game, they were as drawn to the darkness as can be.

Ryan just understood a bit more now he guessed, why Jack had been drawn to this git.

Thomas' dark eyes bore down on Ryan with a fierce and loyal protection. "How dare you stand there, acting the hero-"  
"Third mistake." Ryan interrupted with a cool smile, his eyes glistening in the cold winter light of the end of the year, morning. "I know I'm not the hero. I'd never act like it. Your mistake is assuming I would."  
"My second mistake and first mistake?"  
"Your second was assuming that I cared what you had to say to explain yourself." Ryan purred gently.

Then his eyes flashed darkly as he gritted his teeth together and glared up at the boy.

"Your first was assuming that you would ever be able to take Jack away from me."  
"You're doing a well enough job of that yourself!" Thomas snapped, his eyes lit with frustration. "You keep pushing him to remember. He's a wreck Ryan! Physically and mentally, he's an absolute wreck! He may have woken from the coma but he hasn't come back from it! This isn't Sirena, just as much as it isn't rose! This is a boy who has a chance to be free of the memories! To be free of the story that he was raped! To be free of the story that he spent most of his young life on the streets! Let me tell you! THAT ISN'T SOMETHING YOU WANT TO REMEMBER!"  
"Just stay away from him." Ryan growled, but Thomas stood as still as stone.  
"Not until he's completely safe."  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ryan glared, stopping from where he had been about to turn.  
"I don't care about who's with Sirena! I stand by my word!" Thomas growled. "No matter what your petty little jealousy is Ryan. Believe it or not, I have no interest in seeing Jack with me."  
"But." Ryan stated, watching Thomas pause.  
"But." Thomas glared. "I'm want him with whoever it is that can keep him the most safe. I will make sure that who ever puts him in harm's line, will be removed swiftly."  
"And if it's me putting him in 'harm's line'." Ryan mocked the boy's voice.  
"Then you will be gone and out of the way before you've even blinked and realized it." Thomas stated, heading down the hill. "And unlike recent occurrences? Two years will seem easy in comparison as to how long it will go without you seeing Jack. You're too desperate for the boy that you used to know. You're going to get Jack killed, because you're pushing things far too fast. You think I don't know what this place is? Heck! Bruce could tell what this place was just by the way you said it." Thomas carried on further down the hill. "You're off your game Ryan." He said finishing the conversation as Thomas left to go and find the other two.

A cold and dark wind did blow along the hill, nearly hidding Ryan in it's blizzard folds.

"Then I guess." The boy said coldly. "I'll just have to get better at my game. Won't I?"

He turned, but not before glaring over his shoulder and snarling; _"CHECK MATE."_

those next coming days had been some of the hardest for Thomas. More difficult than ever because as the year was coming to it's finish, Sirena was showing signs of becoming more and more ready to get discharged from the hospital, though he would be pretty much going back every day for psychological evaluations to see how he was coping. His solitude had been growing more and more since the day in the park. He wouldn't leave his bedroom, only letting Christina or Bruce come in. Only one at a time.

Nobody had even seen signs of Elektra. It wasn't safe and Thomas knew it. Christina knew it... heck, Bruce knew it! Elektra was just too much like Ryan. Considering that Ryan was actually tamed, it would be like Ryan was a hand grenade thrown at Jack and Elektra was a hydrogen bomb dropped on the boy's head! They were two people with too big a connection to Jack's past. A past which had now become a vial of poison, sitting at the center of Jack's brain, slowly cracking and preparing to smash apart.

After all, he was already having nightmares which were leaving Jack exhausted, agonized and in a state that most doctors were extremely worried about.

Thomas just prayed to god that the plan went through alright.

If the plan went through okay, then they may just be able to spare Jack some of the pain.

Still though, all of these quiet whispers and quiet plans didn't change things for one certain boy.

It didn't change the passage of time.

The days passed by and Jack still was fighting with the deep conscious and battle of trying not to go rabid or crazy as people kept casting him wide eye glances.

Playing everyday as the one who had to be on their best behavior for the others. The constant cravings inside of himself to reach out and launch at the others was becoming overwhelming! The pure animal urge to fight them and show that he wasn't some weakling. That he wasn't some porcelain doll which had tumbled off it's shelf and was now spiraling through the air to it's doom on the cold floor.

He was dying for a good and decent fight. He was starving to destroy or obliterate something, even something like smashing a photograph or a window. He needed to do something to vent this anger!

He needed the feeling of running blood lust and adrenaline! He had to find something to distract himself from his mind! He needed to let out the pent up all this dam of suppressed and obliterating anger, which threatened to destroy every last lingering piece of him-

But no... He had to be patient. He had to stay on the down low till he had everything in place; till he could get everyone and everything in place. Figuring out just enough that he could identify who he would crush and who he would stay away from. He was still trying to figure out the chains of power, but after that little... incident he had witnessed quietly after sneaking away from Bruce, saying he had just needed a minute, then seen both boys on the hill.

He frowned angrily as he thought about it.

He had found his anger had only spiked all the more at himself the more he thought about it, and pain filled his aching head at the void which were his memories and mind.

But they seemed to be very important in all of this. So far he had managed to identify the three main power heads: Ryan, T.J and some girl he had caught glimpse of outside the hospital who the nurse Christina had been arguing with. Some girl with blue hair. Each seemed to know something... including also that they had some advantage over the other.

He smirked as he stood in front of the full length mirror and admired the ever so craved human curves over the thin and attractive figure which was his infatuating reflection.

The twig like nature which was craved lustfully by so many as a frame of beauty. He had never really cared much about vanity... At least he thought that he didn't. He didn't seem to himself like someone who cared about his own appearance... or used to anyway. Now his appearance was new, just as he was. But all of this wasn't of some large form of narcissism or vanity. No. This was about far more than caring for his own reflection. This was about something new now. This was about making himself comfortable. This was about making a stand.

To test... a theory, he may have had at that point.

And now that the bandages had been abandoned and freed him. He could see just how magnificent of a body he wielded.

Well... with a few adjustments made, he could see just how powerful it was.

He was just surprised how much this body could truly get him in this town though. The power of the body seemed to posses something more than anything else to those still stuck in the game which had also come to his attention. "This body just seems to catch up with the rest of me." He thought out loud as a ran a hand up through the new black and crimson of his hair, before he let the spikes out and down across his right eye. The swirl of the two colors was gorgeous to him. "Harley Quinn, eat your heart out." He chuckled gently.

Okay so he had a bit of time lately on his hands.

Well, what else was he going to do! He wasn't allowed out of his room much and the only time he did get out of his room, he was surrounded by all those idiots giving him sympathetic looks! It was driving him mad! So when he had asked Christina for something to read and she had asked him what he would like to read. He had said: "Something where the villains are the main characters."  
She had just smiled at him almost knowingly then returned back an hour later with a large box with a pink bow, saying for him to take it as a late Christmas present.  
He hadn't had much chance to open presents on Christmas, since it had been the day he woke up.

He had unwrapped it and found inside the box, a large stack of comic books, a large A4 art book and matching colour ink set for drawings. The comic books series had been Suicide Squad. Jack hadn't been able to put them at all down, so since then, Christina brought in a new one every day, saying it was good that he had a healthy appetite for reading at least. When she had asked him, who his favorite character had been he had instantly responded; "Harley Quinn of course!"  
"Why is that?" Christina had asked but Jack had just smiled a little knowingly to himself.

So sue him. It was his first day out fully of the hospital. Well, he would have to go back there later on that night, but Christina had offered to take him out into the town to buy him some clothes. Since he refused so much to wear the hospital gown, she had decided maybe it was better to just get him some clothes.

The sides were still cut short and the top itself hadn't grown back much in the past few weeks which had annoyed him deeply. Though he was happy now that the blonde gold was gone. All that silver blond... no. That had gone. He had covered his arms and some of the faint scars on the exposed of his chest with some very pale skin tone, blending it in with his porcelain pale natural tone.

It was strange, Christina was growing more and more to be a constant someone to rely on in a short while.

He thought about her and everything that she had been doing for him since he had woken up. The way she had been looking after him. The way that she had been caring for him, looking out for him a lot more than most of the other doctors would normally.

 _Don't stray too far._ His thoughts warned him quietly and he blinked back his sense to the mirror in front of him.

The black and darkness of the eye shadow he wore highlighted his eyes in complete replica to the comic book character that he had based his hair off of. But his gaze mostly now rested on the mirrors which led to his soul; his eyes. They burned out more loudly and defiantly as he rested one hand against his waist, examining himself as carefully as he could.

Having an attractive body? It was power. The power he could use. God knows Bruce had looked at him and dropped a mug upon seeing him for the first time after he had dyed his hair and tried his new appearance, but he hadn't cared.

He still really couldn't get used to this feeling of having to hide his feelings.

It was almost like in his comic books... it was like... it was like...

It was like having to wear a mask... no. It was like a game! Like playing a game with everyone and anyone around him. Trying to make sure that he could keep up wearing a mask.

It was an exhausting game though... and one he was growing sick of very rapidly.

It was so different than the tormented and expected pain of the prison cell he had thought that it would be in hospital. He had woken up thinking that after a few weeks, maybe it wouldn't be as bad as he thought. But here he was barely a few days after he was waking up and he was going insane! Christina and Thomas had explained that she was more than sure he would get along with loads of people around town. But the first day out, here he was. Near enough having crashed and burned after seeing everyone look at him with sad eyes or turn away to whisper about him.

AND THAT WAS BEFORE THEY HAD EVEN LEFT THE HOSPITAL!

So he had decided to start wearing a mask of his own face.

His face wiped clean of anything that people could use to read him... that was when he had some sense and control.

But then Thomas had helped him so much, and Bruce. They were like siblings to him, two people he looked up to if not the only two any more, in this town who he knew, he could trust. Thomas had said that Jack didn't have to feel any shame in not feeling anything, and though Bruce had objected at first, saying maybe it wasn't the best to suppress them because it was too much pressure. He had said that whatever helped Jack, he would go along with, but he would be there should Jack ever need to talk about what he was feeling.

It was so much easier, to use the mask method that is, than it was in the mental asylum where he could stay quiet and each day hide behind the veil of medication which had kept him under a tide of his own thoughts and body.

Having emotions and feelings.

The ever lasting sensations once again.

It was a living hell.

Keeping them hidden behind a veiled mask of his face so that he didn't have to spend much longer back in that place? That was even worse but more bearable than the first.

He had quickly learnt to keep them distracted. They were far more worried about his mental health. But they just didn't realize that they were the ones driving him insane!

He glanced out the corner of my eye to the deeply pale pearl white painted walls and their golden scripted texture. Long extending lines of cloth racks were pushed around the open store. The shadows were pushed back but he could still catch the fresh scent of ash and burning smoke. Something that lingered in the air a little too faintly for normal notice, but he had found, he picked up a lot more on these things lately. It was strange. Faint smells or feelings which were never there, but felt so real to him.

"Jack? Are you okay?"

Jack slowly turned his head to where the deadpanned and slightly tense voice had come from.

Thomas was sat on a bench, offering a slight glance of worry to him as Jack realized he had been staring off into space again, getting lost in his thoughts. He barely even noticed that his fingers had found their way to his wrist and had deeply scratched into the skin.

Thomas's hand was wrapped around both of Jack's wrist, now staring as slight lines of blood welled up past the broken skin. "Jack, breathe." The voice coaxed and the red and black haired boy frowned, not realizing and taking a minute to finally let out the breath he hadn't noticed that he'd trapped in his chest. "There we go." Thomas said softly.

The other boy was wearing a plain black shirt under his open blue zip up jacket. He styled a nice pair of designer trainers which he put on after having made them and clamped around his legs were a pair of skinny black jeans. His blue winter cap was stuffed into his pocket, letting his hair spike up as he ran a hand through it, showing off his startling dark eyes.

Jack still remembered when he had told Thomas why he had dyed his hair to be like it was. Thomas had beamed at him, ruffling his hair before they had gone out to the theater for a small show, which Christina had taken the three boys to go and see.

Thomas' grip tightened fractionally and Jack's attention slipped back onto the boy.

This seemed to be happening more and more lately.

His mind would drift off and wonder so freely now that he barely even noticed when it happened any more. It always felt like his thoughts were stretching out and grasping for something that could never come back. But whenever he slipped into his thoughts, he would often come back to after a certain passage of time, like after having a black out, and then finding that he had harmed himself in someway, or slipped into a panic attack.

His own body betrayed him at every chance it could take, leaving his mind not to understand.

The only compensation it gave him was that it had beauty.

But by the way that scars were becoming more noticeable along his fore arms and wrists, he knew that even soon, that beauty would be marred and lost, too some extent at least.

If the other scars where anything to go by, Jack was sure that these one's would be easy to hide in comparison.

"I'm fine." He said, not bothering to create a fake smile which he would offer to anyone else. At least he still had enough sense to put on a good act, but still, even that was being betrayed. There were days like this, good days, where the pain wouldn't make him feel like his skull was splitting open and he would be able to get some minor focus on-

"JACK!"

 _For fuck sake!_

Only as he felt the sharp sting in his fist did he realized the mirror in front of him was now falling to a shattered ruin on the floor. "I'm. Fine." He grated out, panting ever so slightly, but only fell quiet as he felt Thomas' arms wrap around him.

Not in a romantic way, not like the way that he had been held by the mysterious, shadow figure who had come into one of Jack's dreams, between the insane grasp of his nightmares.

No... Thomas held him in a way that... Jack didn't really want. Thomas made him imagine if this was what it was like to be held by an older sibling?

For some reason, that thought of an older sibling made his heart plummet and often brought tears to his eyes, though he could never figure out why.

But Thomas still held him none the less. Crouching down slightly so that he was on height with Jack as the boy held his gaze and kept his hands comfortingly on Jack's shoulders.

A few minutes must have passed because now Jack's hand was bandaged and glass shards laid on the floor, a small neat pile coated thickly in Jack's blood was placed neatly on a nearby table. "Back with me?"

"I don't know." Jack admitted truthfully.

Time had become something of an impossible measurement now. Any chance that he dived into his thoughts, the seconds that it felt like he was thinking could lead to it being actually minutes, or even hours.

"Luckily you didn't get blood over that new outfit, but I think your hand is going to sting for a while."

Jack looked down to see the silky velvet black shirt he was in which hugged onto his frame quite attractively. His legs were wrapped in a alluring pair of leather, black jeans with a silver dragon head belt. Then on his feet were a pair of black boots with heels on. Thomas hadn't even looked twice when Jack had said that he wanted to wear them... well they had been in his room! So he assumed they were his. He had wondered why he even owned a pair of boots like that...

Then he had seen himself in them and realized why.

"Jack?"

"I'm okay." He repeated, blinking his eyes a couple of time. Pulling his black leather and fur coat closer around himself. The long sleeves reached down just past his wrist and were comfy to the extreme, kindling his bones, though strangely enough, he didn't actually seem to feel the cold that much. "Sorry... I keep-"

"Don't apologize." Thomas stated, not leaving much room for Jack to say anything else. "It's not your fault. I told you, you will never have to apologize to anyone, especially never me, Bruce and Christina."  
"Did she-"  
"She saw. She brought the bandages. She thought maybe you'd rather talk to me than to her when you came back." Thomas said gently.  
"Y-Yeah... thanks." Jack muttered, rubbing the back of his neck then taking a hiss of breath when he looked at his hand. Yeah, the other boy was right. It did sting like a bitch!

Thomas sat forward and rested his chin onto his laced hands. His eyes blank of emotion and yet obvious to their caring which burned at the sight of Jack hurting himself. "You've been quiet these last couple of days. Going into your thoughts more often... Did something happen after you left?"

"Thomas-"

"Did anyone hurt you or say anything-"

"Thomas it's fine." Jack sighed, thinking about how everything seemed to be completely the opposite. "I'm just... I have a date and I can't help but-"

"You have a date!" Thomas looked at him, suddenly a fierce sharp burst moving through his eyes. _Six days after he's woken up and he's got himself a date!?_ "Who? When. Where?" _Who could he know! He has amnesia! Who could he be going on a date with-_

Then it clicked.  
 _Oh...OOOhhhh... that son of a mother f-  
_ "If I told you." Jack smiled to himself ever so slightly. "You wouldn't believe me."  
Thomas smiled but on the inside he was glowering out the door. _Oh... I think I would. I just don't believe them!_


	23. Chapter 23

**T** **hanks** **Dark Heart 945 and** **for your review ^_^ . Thank you also** **to everyone for the follows and favorite so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point.**

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Ryan smiled as he lent back in his chair and watched Jack in the candle light of their table. The smaller boy had his head lent into his pale hand while his freezing cold eyes bathed in the moonlight and watched outside at how people were darting about in the night. But still out the front, the moonlight was bathing onto flowers and tiles in the make shift garden, making them shine slightly.

Jack was dressed in a black, sleeveless waist jacket with purple top underneath while also having a matching purple, silk neck scarf. As usual he wore clamped black leather jeans which made Ryan want to drool as he looked at him. Around the boy's wrist was a small interlinking bracelet of silver with a few small charms: A rose, a masquerade mask, a small charm of The Joker's smile and a small but colored Harley Quinn.

Ryan shook his head at Thomas' gift that he had given to Jack that morning and looked back to the boy's face. "Beautiful sight." Jack whispered as he kept his gaze locked outside, across the beautifully lined small garden area, the pots of roses and other various plants which glistened with the presence of neon light. All the while the boy was brushing his hand over his scar free wrist and smooth skin of his face.

"Yes it really is." Ryan purred and watched how the boy turned then blushed brightly.

"You're so cheesy!" Jack laughed softly.

He paused as Ryan reached out and gently pulled their lips into contact.

Jack was startled at first, but soon felt a tongue run over his bottom lip and he closed his eyes in bliss as he allowed it entrance. He could feel it as Ryan's tongue explored his mouth hungrily, devouring every possible trace of detail that he could attain.

Jack curled his hands around the boy's white button up shirt as he pulled himself further into the contact. At that point he didn't care about the others in the restaurant who were shooting both boys curious glances at their open affection of each other. He didn't care as some turned their nose up and muttered. "Good grief." In a snobby tone.

"Don't worry." Ryan whispered as he pulled back slightly and broke apart their lips. "They will be gone soon... and then the real party can begin." His dark pitiless eyes searched deeply into the cold blue ones opposite him as he watched something dark shift in the back of that beautiful turquoise sight. Jack was still holding stuff back from him... Ryan would never force the boy to open up to him... but he would be happy if he felt Jack knew he could do just that!

He blushed as Jack took his hand gently and began to nibble softly and teasingly on his finger. He knew that this was Jack's way of getting back at him for making him blush. "Jack!" Ryan whispered as a blush crossed and became completely obvious on his face. "That's so not fair! Mine wasn't meant to make you blush like a crazy school girl!"  
"I had to sit all day and have Thomas flirt at me. All the while I've been trapped in my mind, hearing the soft whispers of insanity call and plea to me to set them free. I've been cutting my own wrists open and letting them fountain out blood. I've been going mad trying to get back to you, my dear Rye-Rye. Believe me, me making you blush will be the least of your worries tonight" Jack purred as Ryan went bright red, quite surprised that the boy's behavior as he was never normally this forward... not that he minded it anyway. "If maybe you was the one who had me in that hospital room. Then maybe it might not be so bad-"  
 _"Hey!"_

Ryan blinked as he a voice which A) wasn't Jack's and B) come out of the boy's mouth, which hadn't moved.

"What?"  
 _"Excuse me?"_

Ryan blinked out of his day dream as the waiter stood next to the table, staring down at him with a raised eyebrow.

Slowly the boy got his bearings looking around.

He was sat outside at one of the many tables left on masquerade hill. Ryan must have drifted off while listening to the band play the soft music which they were. They had taken their placed up in the band stand and were playing contently with small smiles on their faces, while people had gathered at their various tables. The stars were out and shinning brightly. There was still small flecks of frost and snow blowing in gently across the city, but at that point in the night, it was like the sky had just parted around the park, giving all a brilliant sight of the stars and the full moon above.

"Day dreaming sir?"  
"Oh a better time..." Ryan nodded quietly with a cold glare.  
"Your date is here." The waiter said curtly and left. Before muttering. "Well... one of them at least, I think."

Ryan frowned then glanced over.

He swore at that moment, if he could, his eyes probably would have been glowing in complete rage at one certain blond.

Then shock and disbelief at a certain other.

Jack walked over with a small smile across his pale face as he hand both hands laced behind his back. His eyes looking around in complete wonder at the park which looked like something fresh out of a winter fairy tale, with it's lit candles and the soft music playing while everyone was dressed up in costume, it had been the perfect idea that Ryan had for Jack and his first date... well technically, it was their second, first date. Jack had brought him here on their first date... so at least Ryan knew that the boy would like the place. He guessed that this was maybe cheating... but screw it. The world had cheated him out of a lot of things. Jack being one of them! So sue him, he was playing the game slightly here.

Jack seemed to shine like a fallen star on the earth, caught in an infinite glow. Yes Ryan was extremely surprised by the boy's made up face, the way he wore pure white make up over his face and then dark eyeliner and black eye shadow- _Hang on... isn't that kinda like-_ He frowned for a second then exploded out in a smile which he wasn't able to keep to himself. _Still wants to dress up like Harley Quinn._ He thought, letting out a small chuckle to himself, drawing Jack's attention.

The wore exactly what he said he would be wearing, and had worn in Ryan's daydream. Except the boy's black jeans were denim, not leather... Ryan's imagination must have gotten away from him slightly there.

Oh well.

Jack just waved and turned back to the two behind him.

But Ryan paused for a moment as he looked at the boy's arms. Jack may not have been wearing long sleeves and defiantly showing his arms out in the open... but. That just meant that Ryan could now see the long wrappings of bandages around both of the boy's forearms and his palms.

 _He's getting worse._ Ryan thought gently, then turned his blinding glare out to the blond that Jack had turned to.

Thomas was walking along in a smart button up shirt and coat, with a matching pair of jeans like Jack's. He had his coat slung over his arm as he smiled fondly at Jack. Laughing quietly and sharing a small smile with Bruce who stood next to him, casting Ryan a blushing glance then turned his face away.  
 _Oh give me a break._ Ryan's thoughts snarled.

"We're here." Jack smiled gently.  
"Yes... _We_ are." Ryan said casually, his voice sweet and calm for his beautiful Princess, but scathing and blisteringly cold for Thomas who, behind Ryan's sweet smile, he glowered at.  
"Funny, life's little coincidences isn't it?" Thomas muttered, casting a cold look over to Ryan before smiling at Jack. "Bruce, come on, I'll show you around. Jack are you coming?"  
"I'm gonna catch up with Ryan." The red and black haired boy blushed slightly, giving a small smile at the open affection which Thomas held in his voice for the boy. Ryan just glowered at Thomas and the blond hid a smirk before walking away, showing Bruce around the set up.

It was only when he was out of sight, did Jack slowly turn his gaze back over to Ryan which held a slightly dark look, his eyes glistening for a moment with intrigue, curiosity and something dark which Ryan couldn't put his finger on. "Okay... what the hell was that?"  
"What was what?" Ryan asked softly, leaning forward slightly on the table and resting his chin on his laced fingers. "Might I say that you look beautiful tonight?"  
"You can and I know I do." Jack stated curtly. "Now answer. What was that."  
 _Amensia won't ever change you, will it?_ Ryan held back the small grin. "I was just surprised is all."  
"No. Surprise is me, having Thomas invite himself along because he thinks that me hanging around you is irresponsible, on your part." Jack stated, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms. He crossed one leg over the other and tapped the corner of the table with the edge of his foot while he looked into the dark of Ryan's eyes. "Everyone seems to be just walking around on egg shells when they're by me and I'm getting fed up of it-"

Jack paused. His sentence cut off half way as his tone and voice had been growing colder and rising.

He acted on reflex, his hand snatching out and grabbing onto Jack's when the pale boy's hand shot to his bandages. "Jack." Ryan stated, a little loudly, drawing the boy's empty gaze. "It's okay." He said as softly as possible. "I'm here." He kept his voice low and calm, like he was talking to an injured animal.

It had been the first time that someone had been able to stop Jack from harming himself.

Slowly Jack's gaze slid back into existence, the boy tensing up even more, about to wrench himself back but only got a calm look from Ryan as the brunette slid his fingers carefully over the boy's hand. "Hey now Princess. Calm down okay? Don't worry. You're fine-"  
"Is Thomas still nearby?" Jack asked quietly.  
"Uh... no- why?"  
"Listen, I just want to have some fun. I want to have a drink!" Jack whispered. "I want to just have some fun with somebody and not care about a single thing. Think we can do that?" He asked, his tone sharp and piercing, but his gaze as pleading as a man begging for his life.  
"Oh, I think I can handle that." Ryan mused with an amused look, smiling as he looked at the red and black haired boy. "Shall we?"

Both stood from their seats and both paused.

A nearby boy gave Jack a passing wink, and Ryan watched how Jack shot the boy a dirty glare in response, making Ryan chuckle softly.  
"Creep." Jack muttered softly then paused as he caught a soft chuckle. His cold eyes shot over immediately to Ryan before Jack took a long look at him with pure curiosity.

"I think he has a thing for you." Ryan laughed softly, hiding his anger and jealousy that someone had even looked at his Princess like that, and began to walk Jack towards the dance crowd as a strange new song came on with a new beat. "What is that song?" Ryan stared towards the main music stage.

"Danza Kuduro... hang on what?" Jack frowned slightly. "Why would he have a thing for me."  
"How did you know that?" Ryan frowned.  
"Answer for an answer." The boy purred in response.  
"Because you're beautiful." Ryan stated.  
"Because I have a lot of time on my hands, music and art are how I pass them." Jack responded, then paused for a moment, glancing up at Ryan, before placing a light kiss at the edge of the boy's jaw, his cheeks blushing slightly. "Thank you... that's very sweet. But how?"  
"You know-"  
"Yes, I know, how I'm beautiful. But it's got to be more than just the surface... right?"

It took a moment for Ryan to realize that this was one of Jack's important questions. The questions the boy needed help with whenever he was struggling with reality. "Yes." Ryan whispered softly, building up his confidence before he carried on with what he was about to do next.

Jack stopped as Ryan's hand began to slowly trace along his shirt from his hip. "I don't know... maybe it has something to do with those beautiful, ice like eyes." Ryan suggested and slowly moved his fingers over the warm blush that was growing on Jack's cheeks. "Maybe I should get them to get a fan." he purred. "I think you're getting a bit hot under the collar."

"Know it all nerd." Jack rolled his eyes and playfully pushed Ryan away as he disappeared into the crowd of people.

Ryan couldn't help but grin...

Until he saw Thomas out the corner of his eye.

"I really got a bad feeling about this." Ryan muttered but soon found that everything to do with anyone else and all that could have bothered him, dropped out his thoughts when he looked over to see those mercilessly cold eyes locked on him from the middle of the dance crowd.

"No... not dancing." He stated. "Nope. Not doing it. There's nothing you can do, to get me to dance."

Five songs and a lot of drinks later, Ryan had himself being led onto the dance crowd slowly as Jack had his half closed eyes locked on him.

His shirt was half way unbuttoned from the top down, like a lot of the other guys, due to the heat in crowd as everyone kept going without a break, no one wanting to stop. His viciously pale and cold chest was enough for Ryan to now lose himself in, and the scars and the protruding bones from the malnourished figure was just as enough to bring him back to reality.

"I come to love this song, it's now one of my favorites." Jack whispered softly as he began to curl his arms around Ryan's neck and stand on his tip toes to plant a kiss on the boy's mouth.

Alcohol was clear on both of their tongues.

His hands curled tightly into Ryan's shirt as the Natalia Kills song played loudly on the nearby speakers. "Are you drunk?" Ryan chuckled slightly and watched the boy's cold blue eyes become hard.

"For one night I don't want to have to worry about working, this stupid position I've got myself stuck in with... I don't even want to have to worry about being what everyone wants or about who I am." He stated to Ryan's surprise. "For once I don't want to have to think about how I've got nothing left in my head...How there's nothing... just cold, dark, void-"

"Shush." Ryan placed his finger to the boy's lips softly and lent down to gently kiss his neck. "It's okay."

Their bodies began to slowly push together as the main chorus kicked in. The lights around them flickered, someone had brought a set from a nearby club and fed the plugs into a generator. Now they strobe and flickered and the people cheered with raised drinks as they all sang out: _"Turning the lights out, burning the candles, and the mirrors gonna fall tonight!"_

Ryan felt his body grind against Jack's as both slowly pulled into a deeper kiss.

The taste of alcohol was prominent on their tongues.

When they came back up for air, Jack gently whispered. _"Turning the lights out."_ He slowly turned his head upwards and gazed deeply into Ryan's eyes. _"Tighten the handcuffs."_ He whispered uncertainly and felt Ryan's fingers lace with his. _"And the mirrors gonna fall tonight."_ They locked their lips again and Ryan found himself pushing up against Jack while the smaller boy's leg wound around his waist in an attempt to pull him closer.

With the alcohol coursing through their bodies they had a fire burning so hot that they found it hard to restrain any of their actions that were fueled by the liquid confidence. Their tongues curling around each other's tasting their drinks on each other. Ryan's hand slowly moving up Jack's torso as he ran his fingers over every ounce of exposed skin he could get his hands on, which wasn't much, but Jack's exposed neck, and the sensitive spots along the boy's jaw.

Jack's fingers slowly ran through Ryan's hair as lips were pressed against his chest and moved delicately across. "God I love you."

That brought both boy's to a stop as they stared at each other disbelievingly over the fact that Jack had actually said it. "Did you just say-"

"No I didn't." He shook his head violently and stared with fear at Ryan. _No. No. NO NO NO NO NO!_ His thoughts roared angrily at him. Inside though now was what almost had Jack doubling over in agony as he felt like a searing knife was being pushed through the inside of his skull and outside of his head. He wanted to fall to the floor and scream in agony at the top of his lungs at the pain but knew he couldn't. No. Not here. Not in front of everyone. He couldn't.

"You did. You said-"

"No I DIDN'T!" Jack snarled and watched the boy stare at him in... well he was already still quite surprised, so what else could have been new with that look?

Ryan said nothing as he watched the pale shade creep drastically onto the boy's face. "Uh... what were we talking about?" He slurred as though he was completely and utterly drunk.

Though those three words had completely sobered him up in an instance.

Jack was too drunk himself after having what he had to drink to even notice that Ryan had managed to make a mask that even he couldn't read. "I-It was nothing." Jack lied and pulled the boy back down for a kiss.

It was as though he was a drowning man and the kiss was his air.

Which only broke when Ryan felt Jack's heartbeat through his shirt. It was racing away fast... dangerously fast.

"Jack are you-"

Ryan barely even had time to finish his sentence before Jack's eyes rolled back into his head and the boy let out a pained gasp, falling forward in agony and fainting.


	24. Chapter 24

**T** **hanks** **Dark Heart 945 and** **for your review ^_^ . Thank you also** **to everyone for the follows and favorite so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point. So Winner of the competition? My winners are** **Justice237 and Dark Heart 945. Inbox me your request, congratulations.**

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It was dark around him as Jack slowly sat up. His head felt like it was doused in gasoline and burning as brightly as possible.

He slowly turned his gaze around him and watched as his eyes moved over the entirety of the dark hill around him. The towering trees seemed to cry out loudly under a fall of rain which stopped short of the clearing, like a giant dome had been placed over the exposed area of the hill and the lake.

He staggered for a minute, holding his head in pain and swearing under his breath about the sharp agony. God damn it hurt. To be honest, the rest of him didn't feel much better. His body ached with exhaustion. His breathing was unstable, heavily labored and pained. The world around him, the intense creation of Jack's emotions flooded inside of him as though they were of his own creation. It was horrible, pained and agonizing. How could he actually stand living and feeling like this? Still the blackness in his mind as usual was torturing him as he stood here in solitude all by himself, looking around as the hill seemed empty of everyone else but him.

 _Crack_

The lake was frozen over though the air was humid but at the same time, bit with a cold and vicious snarl into his bones. He was scared! He was terrified! He kept crying out over and over again! His cries lost to the air as his voice seemed pointless and continued to fade. "Ryan!" He kept crying out, unsure as to who to call other than the brunette. But every time he did, he just doubled over, feeling sick and nauseous as the pain in his head branded him like a hot fire.

The skyline above him thundered with a storm and he screamed hearing the thunder lace the air.

 _CRACK_

He slowly shook his head. How had he become this. How had he-

 _SMASH_

He turned his head back just in time to see a porcelain pale fist smash through the surface of the ice and grasp at the air, like in a horror film where you see the dead rising, getting their first feel of the living world once again.

The hand was deathly pale, as white as the snow itself.

 _SMASH_

He wanted to, by god he wanted to tear his eyes away as another hand smashed through the surface and shards of ice from the center of the lake were sent like meteors into the nearby darkness, sending visible cracks and ripples through the actual dream itself from the sheer strength.

Jack's blood ran ice cold and he found he couldn't move, but this wasn't out of the fact of the hallucination this time, no, this time it was pure fear. Fear that actually he felt. Real fear!

His body refused to move as he watched the hand clasp and smash into the ice getting a grasp, before a scream echoed out from the water and met the air.

The voice itself churned through the hallucination, blasting away the ice itself and the shadows till Jack found himself fell flat against the floor of the visioned meadow, under a churning sky of purple and black.

Jack's emotions and inner complete turmoils of this new fear, taking up the sky above him as a real vision of what he was feeling. A maze of his mind and he himself now only on a floating island of it among the rest of everything which made up this mad hallucination. It was like staring across an ever grown void of purple and stars, various islands living in the gap of darkness like floating mountains which were various aspects of memories, personality, even the mind itself of him. Everything inside of his head.

And Jack was trapped inside the one hallucination that he should never have had. The one thing that he should never have remembered.

Which brought him to question something as he looked over his shoulder and stare back at the cracked lake as the head burst through the surface of the water and let out an almighty gasp.

The question was... If this was Jack's mind... then why was this part caged off from the rest of it.

The figure from the lake took long drawn out panting breaths before from beneath their silver hair of what looked like living pure moonlight, two eyes of blistering cold ice and crimson glared out beautifully and churned into two black pits which bore through Jack's soul.

More importantly for a question... who the fuck was this and why were they in Jack's mind-

The figure's light rouge lips smirked and revealed a crystal line of perfect pearly teeth, as they hauled their porcelain pale and bare body out from the water and stood on trembling legs, taking slow steps towards Jack, crushing the ice of the lake beneath their feet and making Jack back away till he hit the edge of the island and the tightly woven black cage which was formed over this singular floating island.

The figure was lean, beautiful beyond all compare... in fact. They actually sort of looked like-

"This is what I get to greet me?" The figure purred in a voice so beautiful it must have been dripped in honey and wrapped in velvet. Those black eyes churned with sparkling diamond light as they swept their fringe of soaked silver hair out their eyes and up into spikes. Resting one hand on their hip and with a smirk which could have enslaved kings and murdered with it's dark purpose.

Jack decided if death could look beautiful. It would be this boy.

"Come near me and I will kill you." Jack snarled, but the boy in front of him only burst out into a brilliantly lustful but terrifyingly cold laughter. Their diamond eyes gleamed like a frozen sun, while they rested one hand on their hip, showing off their naked body without shame, making Jack blush wildly, while the figure looked at their blood stained palms, shaking loose the spikes of ice from their fingers, but never those impaled directly through the center of their hands.

Also helping Jack to finally notice for the first time, their was a jingling noise as he hadn't noticed before, since he had been distracted by the strongly, lean, beautiful figure, that they were wearing shackles made of pure ice which led back to the water, and which seemed to be pulling aggressively but the boy wasn't moving.

Jack's cheeks exploded into bright pink as he tried to look anywhere but the bare boy, this was so embarrassing! "That's cute. Now shut up." The boy purred and Jack's mouth sealed it self shut, intent on following the order of the boy, to serve him however he could-

Hang on. What?

"Much better." The boy grinned, looking down at his bound ankles and then his wrists, staring as blood poured out of the center of his palms where to the large ice hooks were buried deep into the skin and around the bones, similarly how they were pierced deeply into his ankles.

"I haven't got long I guess. But I shall not need much of it." That dark smirk exploded back across his face. "Jack?" He purred, as though he was tasting the name on his mouth, enjoying saying it for the first time but his eyes whispered with their dark insanity that it was incredibly familiar to him. "Ah, yes. I guess it's time for introductions, I guess. Though it is weird to introduce someone when you already know them. But, standards, mannerisms and all that."

Jack's eyes widened when the boy yanked on the chains and the water itself seemed to scream, filling the air with pain like the boy had just stabbed someone with a knife. But the wind itself, it took a moment for Jack to realize that had been a scream... and it had actually sounded like-

"Ryan!" Jack frantically looked around, staring through the net of black cage bars which now had him trapped on this frozen island of a broken ice and a shackled boy.

"Jack, really?" The boy purred with those sparkling eyes, drawing Jack's attention. "Paying me so little attention, when you was already fooled and brought to my little prison by a trick of your own madness. Winding up in the one place you shouldn't have. Becoming something you never should have."

"Who the hell are you?"

A deep spark of something gleamed in those eyes as the boy smirked again, pulling on the spikes of the cuffs till they drove sharply into his wrists, making blood pour down onto the ground. He didn't say anything until Jack gritted his teeth and barked in a horrified shout as the boy crouched. "Fine! I'm Jack! Who are you?"

"My name is Jack Crudele." The boy grinned with a wide pearly smile. "And I'm your future."

The vision ripped apart like a haystack inside a tornado, till Kenny was left sat up in bed screaming and holding his head in absolute pain and horror. His body trembled violently.

His eyes hadn't flown open but he could only feel vomit fill his stomach. "Here, I got you a bucket." Came a familiar voice, just in time as Jack reached out blindly and ducked his head into the nearby bucket, bringing up the drinks he had ingested last night and now gave him one hell of a searing headache which threatened to crush him back into the blackness of his mad dreams.

A cold breeze from a nearby window let in a cooling caress across his clammy face. He could feel who he assumed was Ryan from the voice, next to him, gently and soothingly rubbing a hand along the boy's back. Ryan's touch was as light and as careful as it had been when they had been next to each other and dancing. When Jack had felt the boy pressed up against him and lost himself in just exactly how right it had all felt.

"I was getting worried about you." Ryan said gently. "I thought that maybe something bad had happened-"  
"Drink bad. Hangover, bad... Ughh.. drinking, very, very bad." Jack mumbled, holding his head as he felt Ryan's smooth hand caress across his bare back. He knew that Ryan was a bit shocked... heck. Jack had cried himself to sleep the first time that he had seen his full reflection in the mirror.

His cold blue eyes began to open slowly and the boy hissed under his breath from the sting of the light and how it made his headache feel worse. "Never, ever drinking again." He stated firmly, making Ryan laugh.

The brunette was pale and had sunken eyes considering that he hadn't slept that much last night. He had spent the entirety of it looking over Jack and making sure that the boy was okay. At first he had thought that maybe it had been something to do with the boy's mind and the warning that the doctor had given him. But when he had almost passed out himself, he had realized that maybe he and Jack could have been a bit more responsible with how much they drank.

But now here he sat, his hair a mess still from the little sleep he had. His face slightly pale but other wise fine. He wore no shirt but let his clammy torso catch the breeze just like Jack who in the night had stripped himself down to his boxers, but seemingly still just didn't care.

After a few more retches Jack spat into the bucket and glowered for a moment. "Mind if I use the bathroom?" He asked quietly.  
"Sure just across the hall. Christina brought over a small bag of your stuff-"  
"She was here?" Jack frowned then paused as something finally occurred to him. "Actually, where the hell am I?"

His cold blue eyes gazed over the room around him, looking at the various posters, the two beds which were opposite of each other. One looked as though it had barely even been slept it, but between the light painted walls which held up the band posters, the desk with the brand new laptop, or the large window which let a breeze in.

The most peculiar of things sat between the beds on a round table.

A chessboard.

The two beds had been turned towards each other, and while bookshelves full of CD's and leather bound books sat on one side of the room. The other seemed not as decorated. "Oh this is... the foster home. Where I live." Ryan said quietly, rubbing behind his neck awkwardly as he felt himself have to admit the truth to the boy.  
"A foster home?" Jack frowned slightly.

 _Yeah, the foster home where we lived together before you lost your memory. The foster home where we both fell in love I guess. The home where we found each other... and pretty much lost each other._ Ryan thought sadly, turning his gaze outside to the heavy snow of the winter. "Happy new years eve by the way." He said gently. "And yeah, a foster home."  
"I'm surprised that they haven't shipped me off here yet." Jack muttered quietly, making Ryan snap his gaze up. "Oh don't treat me like an idiot. If I had parents who cared, wouldn't they have come to see me? Either they're dead, or they just don't care. But I guess you can't even answer that can you? Don't treat me like an idiot Ryan because every time I'm around one of you, be it Thomas, that girl with the blue hair that I sometimes bump into outside the hospital, or that kind man who comes to visit me. I always get the same look off you all! The same sad look of expectation! And it makes me sick!"

Ryan flinched back slightly but watched as Jack moved the piece into checkmate on the board.

"But of course." He snarled as he moved Ryan's king clear of the checkmate. "You can't tell me? Can you?" Jack snarled, mirror both sides so both kings were in a checkmate that neither could get themselves out of.

"It's a difficult situation." Ryan said gently as he stood.  
"Yeah well, it's a crappy situation and I'm sick of it!" Jack muttered then let out a long sigh as the boy's fingers curled tightly around nearby window sill as he breathed in the fresh air deeply. "I'm just sick of belonging in a world where nothing and no one makes sense. I'm sick of either being a complete psychopath one day who can't stop hurting himself, and then being a bitter and exhausted corpse the next. It's just a load of crap."

Ryan slowly stood and took a stance behind Jack, leaning down slowly as he wrapped both of his arms around the boy's waist. Placing light and gentle kisses along the boy's neck with great care and love, hearing the small whimper escape out of Jack as he did so. "It doesn't have to be that way." Ryan whispered softly, his eyes a little sad to see the one he loved in so much pain. "To me... you're perfect-"  
"HA!" Jack barked.  
"Let me finish." Ryan stated sternly, watching those cold blue eyes slowly move back up to him. "To me, you're perfect, because of that." He said softly, his tone easing. "You're perfect because you're a survivor. You fight. You win. Every time, from what I've seen so far." He whispered into Jack's ear. "As far as I see it, you just have to keep fighting a bit longer. Everything will place it self together eventually. Just have a bit more patience, okay?"

Jack stared out the window as he felt Ryan bury his head against the pale boy's neck. Ryan just closed his eyes feeling the cool comfort which was Jack's presence, but the former blond just looked into the reflection of the glass. Watching as his reflection moved without his control, a cold smile forming across it's lips.  
 _Yeah keeping fighting. But I wonder, which one of you will win? Will it be you? Or me? Because this game just got so, very much more interesting!_ It laughed maliciously in his head, the searing pain returning back with a brunt force.

"Ryan?" Jack asked quietly, frowning as he glared into the reflection of the glass with a deep loathing, then turned his gaze away back to the taller boy behind him. Feeling Ryan's lips slowly move along to his cheek, from his neck after caressing every bit of skin on the way up. His warm brown eyes now glistening with intrigue was he felt Jack slowly release his tension in his arms.  
 _My Princess._ Ryan thought. _My Princess. Mine. No one else's. Always mine.  
_ "Yeah, Princess?" He asked softly.  
"Ryan... do you wanna be my boyfriend?" Jack asked, staring up with wide eyes as the words slipped from his mouth.


	25. Chapter 25

**T** **hanks** **Dark Heart 945 and** **CharlieSMarts12** **for your review ^_^ . Thank you also** **to everyone for the follows and favorite so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point. Warning: this chapter has indications to a more mature scene. I will be re considering the ratings very soon.**

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Jack smiled slightly as he was lent forward, passionately and deeply kissing Ryan, his arms round the boy's neck, his hands gently moving across Ryan's cheeks then curling tightly into the brown spikes of hair as he lent his head back, gasping as he could feel Ryan's lips hungrily moving and sucking on his neck intently. Jack was still in his boxers but he didn't care at that moment. It was like he was pulled back and there was something else there inside of his head. Like something else was driving him on, as though he was a passenger in his own body, letting this happen while his mind purred and whispered to him.  
 _You're finally doing something right little boy._ His voice cackled coldly back at him in his head.

His eyes flew open at that, no longer focused in the dwelling and the deep of his feelings, letting his only reality be the quilt of the bed beneath him, or the feeling of Ryan's lips as his warm breath caressed Jack's skin tenderly. The way that Ryan's hands were slammed onto the bed either side of Jack's head, making the smaller boy's heart race incredibly fast when he felt teeth slowly scratch across his skin, leaving deep marks as it did, but just making Jack gasp out all the more as the adrenaline coursed through his body as a fire.

The piercing pain in his head was overwhelmed by the pleasure of having Ryan so close to him. To have the boy on top of his, so possessively and tenderly kissing him. It was like a drug. Even with the horrifying feeling of Jack not being in control of his body, feeling as though he was a puppet on the strings to the will of something else, he didn't care. This felt right. This just felt so right. The fact that it was Ryan. The fact that it was them two. Oh god did it feel right that it was them two!

"You know, comic con is in a few months." Ryan whispered, leaning his lips against Jack's ear. His breath tingling the boy nerves and making Jack beam though he didn't know why as his eyes half lidded.  
"Oh really?" The red and black haired boy wonder, his eyes sparkling. "I'll have to find something to wear for the occasion."  
"It will be one hell of a way to spend valentines day." Ryan agreed quietly. "But I'm not dressing up."  
"Yes you are."  
"Oh really?" Ryan rose an eyebrow and pulled back slightly as he looked deeply into Jack's eyes, seeing confidence sparkle in those blue orbs. It was the first time Ryan had seen it in a long while, that sparkle, that familiar sparkle which he had longed for over the two years that the two had been apart. That confidence that Jack wore like no one else could! That amazing presence the boy had about him. It made Ryan so happy in that moment to see it, even a glimmer of it, alive in the boy's face once again.

This is how it should have always been between them. This is how they should have always been. Ryan and his Princess. Ryan and the only other person he had felt that he would want to protect from the horrid world and all it's games. That's what he would do. He had been patient. More than patient and that had payed off. Jack was back where he belonged. Though both of them would need to sit down and talk about just exactly what it was that they both wanted. Where it was that both of them stood.

After all, barely a week ago, Jack had been in a coma, his life now a blank canvas from amnesia. Ryan knew that the boy was barely stable which is why with each kiss that he now place, he always made sure to go slow and careful. Always making sure that Jack wanted it before he made the move. This was a delicate game, a game of Jack trusting Ryan and Ryan trusting him. Both having elements which were fragile variables. The fact that Ryan was the dangerous key to all of Jack's past at that moment. The key which could destroy the boy if Ryan moved too fast, and Jack, the boy so lost, so alone in that time that he barely even recognized how to trust someone any more. An easy way for the boy's fragile mind to make him slip into some panic shoulder Ryan do anything too hasty.  
"So... I think I'm gay." Jack said suddenly and Ryan burst out into laughter.

It was the way the boy had just said it so casually.

"What gave it away." Ryan smirked, leaning forward and placing a kiss to the boy's lips, their teeth clashing, their tongues curling around each other, tasting one another, holding each other as close as they could.  
"Oh I don't know... just a hunch that I've been having." Jack laughed quietly. "Now where was we?"  
"You assumed that I would actually dress up in some ridiculous costume."  
"Oh." Jack nodded, with certainty, leaning his head back against the quilt and running his fingers through the material before letting his hand come and rest against his forehead, his palm facing up as he held his fringe clear of his eyes. "Yes you will be."  
"Uh huh? And just exactly pray do tell, will you be actually able to get me into that costume-"

Ryan fell silent and felt himself blush incredibly bright as Jack wound his arm around the boy's neck and pulled his head down so there was barely an inch between their lips. If either moved then they would be kissing. But Jack's eyes were half lidded as he wound his bare leg around Ryan's waist. "Oh... I think I can imagine a way or two of making you agree." He smirked, watching Ryan's face nearly glow pink with embarrassment.  
"Uh-Jack- Heh- I'm- you're- We-huh." The brunette stammered, caught tongue tied.  
"Checkmate. Hope you can keep it down." Jack whispered, launching off the bed to close the curtains to the room, before leaping back under Ryan and pulling the boy down for a heated kiss as his legs wound tightly around the boy's waist.

Down stairs however, Mike sat at his desk rubbing his forehead as he stared at the file paper directly in front of him. A large and loud bang from upstairs had him glancing out the office doors to the stairway for a minute with a small frown, but he guessed maybe it was just one of the kids screwing around.

He didn't realize that A) It wasn't just one kid, but Jack and Ryan... and also B) How bloody right he was about the screwing part, if not in the sense that he thought.

May-Li was sat tapping her fingers on the desk, just as deep in thought as Mike seemed to be at that moment. Both were dressed in their smart and formal for the meeting that they were having.

The last two years had been hard on Mike, to have to watch one of the kids he loved and cared about so much go through something so completely horrible. He had been nothing short of incredibly proud of Ryan in all that the sixteen year old had done. His eyes were weighed down with the pain of having to watch Ryan suffer for those two long grueling years. From having to see the moments when the hospital said it may be better for Ryan to give up hope of Jack ever waking up.

Mike had never been more proud when he had seen Ryan tell that doctor what he could go and do to himself.

But the situation he was presently stuck in was enough to bring his thoughts back as he looked between the two in front of him.

On the left sat a young woman. Her once familiar dark hair glistened with a light brow shine though the dark, electric blue streak in it was as defiant as ever. Mike had expected the girl to wear some black jeans and a blue leather jacket that Mike had once upon a time never seen the girl without, but right now she was dressed in some neat black business suit trousers which fit her snugly, she wore a button up suit jacket and a smart white shirt underneath with an electric blue tie. Her cold blue eyes were harsh as they glared over to the woman next to her, while the young woman herself seemed to be making as much effort as she could to make herself look presentable. Mike had never thought he'd ever see the girl in something like this. Not when he had been forced to say good bye to her living in the home those long years ago.

Elektra however just glared foully over next to her.

Christina was sat back in the chair, trying to look anywhere but at the other young woman. Her brown curtain of hair was tied back, the woman wore a smart and presentable navy blue jumper over her white t-shirt. She had after all, had to rush here from a meeting at the hospital. Her hazel eyes seemed intent on the papers that Mike was looking over. She pushed the creases out of the black skirt and tapped her foot lightly on the floor.

"This is obviously a very difficult situation-"  
"To say the least!"

All glanced around as Thomas frowned, opening the door to the meeting room and closing it shut directly behind him.  
"Excuse me?" Elektra burst out, glaring over at the blond boy who just sneered slightly at her. "This is a private meeting, he has absolutely no right to be here!"  
"Lovely as always to see you Elektra. Shame the years have done nothing to quell that temper of yours." He smirked.  
"Thomas!" Mike stated firmly, his eyes stern and strict as he looked at the boy. "She has a point. The presence of you here is on the fact that your opinion was taken into fact with fair view, It is only because of the delicacy of the situation that you are here, but that can easily change."

The blond huffed and glared at Elektra, both holding each other's gaze for a moment, but he still backed down as her eyes bore into him viciously. He took his seat quietly, giving a soft and warm smile to Christina who looked at him with the same strict warning that Mike had given him.

The tired man picked up the sheets of paper, aligning them unnecessarily before he set them back down on the desk and laced his fingers looking around at the two women. "We're all here because we've been put into a difficult situation."  
"There is no difficult situation about it. We all know what's the right thing here." Elektra stated with a frown, glaring between Mike with disbelief and complete loathing at Christina.  
"We're here to discuss what is the best possible future for Jack would be." He looked over at Christina who sighed and looked around the room. "I gathered all of you here because you're the most important parties involved in this process-"  
"Where's Ryan." Thomas frowned, suddenly realizing that the brunette wasn't standing there, and normally Ryan would never have missed anything when it came to Jack.  
"He wouldn't come out of his room." May-Li said gently, running a hand through her hair, a nervous habit she had picked up a while back. "I told him about the meeting, but he just said he was dealing with something important."

None knew how up stairs, he was doing just exactly that.

Thomas frowned, going back into his thoughts for a minute before Mike drew him back out again.

"I'll let Christina take it for the moment." Mike indicated to the woman who nodded and sat up a little straighter in her chair.  
"We performed a psychological evaluation on Jack a couple of days after he had woken up and again yesterday morning, to make sure that we had a firm and clear indication of what we was dealing with."  
"If only you had done that before." Elektra and Thomas growled, before glaring at each other for a long minute.  
"The results have just come in this morning and... it's frightening to say the least. Especially with Jack's state, I'm surprised that he's even held up for this long." She said quietly, her eyes locked on all the eyes which had snapped over to her in an instant.

she laced her fingers together before resting her chin on her hands, his thoughts moving back to the results that had been handed to her that moment. "Jack has shown signs of split personality disorder, extreme moments of paranoia, anxiety, a severe case of depression and some elements which we have only ever seen in schizophrenia patients. He has an inability at some moments to distinguish his own reality from the one which his mind tries to force onto him to help him cope with the lack of memories. He has on multiple occasions since waking up, expressed and acted on thoughts of self harm, often he explains, happens without his control-"  
"And even had moments of talking about suicide." Thomas added quietly. His fists curled tightly as he glared at the ground, thinking back to the distraught look on Jack's face when the boy had begged in a haze of a delirious breakdown that he wished he was dead.  
"My case stands." Christina nodded sadly. "Jack is a shattered porcelain doll which has tumbled from it's top shelf and is hitting everything on the way down. Those cracks are getting larger and larger. The boy needs support, somewhere he can be nurtured with comfort, love and patience. He needs an anchor in his life, something that he can trust-" She glanced over at the blond boy, holding her hand up slightly. "Other than you Thomas." She stated, easing the boy's glare in a half cast frown. "He also needs around the clock care, someone to be there when he breaks down suddenly and can help him through, however he needs it."  
"You cannot send him back to a mental asylum." Elektra snarled, sitting forward with a murderous glare.  
"I agree completely." Christina nodded.  
"This is complete ridiculous!"

Elektra stood glaring around at all those who had gathered in the room.

"I am his only remaining family who will actually take him in! Half related or not, we are still blood. My blood runs in his veins as much as his does in mine!" She stated firmly. "I am of age now that I can take him in! I can care for the both of us! I have a home and a steady job!"  
"Elektra, you work in a club." Christina said gently.  
"And you work in a hospital." The girl snapped back, her eyes fiercely protective as the thoughts of the brother who she had not been able to see awake and moving for over two years plagued her thoughts with every passing, second, minute and hour of each day that had gone by since she had heard he was awake and then had been barred from entrance into the hospital on the grounds that it was too dangerous in Jack's mind state. "He is my Daniel. I'll call him Jack and I'll play along. But you cannot honestly be considering this Mike!" Elektra shouted. "This is ridiculous!"  
"Elektra honey." Christina said as softly as she could. "Jack will need around the clock care-"  
"What if you need to go in late at night. A late call to the hospital." The girl bit off her aggressive tone as she found her reasoning.

Christina fell silent and even Mike knew at that point that Elektra was talking the truth.

"You cannot preach to me of what he would need. To you, he was just a coma patient you have only truly known for five real days. The rest of the time you spent knowing him was when he was unconscious in a bed!" She snapped.  
"Which is all the more reason why the plan makes sense." Christina said softly.  
"Oh come on! This is crazy! I was the only family member left who actually came and even saw him while he was in-"  
"Actually..." Christina and Mike said quietly. "Your mother made a single visit."

Elektra dead panned for a moment.

"Oh boy." Thomas muttered under his breath, watching the fire of rage ignite inside Elektra's eyes before exploding like the worlds most powerful volcano. Though the girl managed to bite her lip and hold herself in complete silence, which Thomas was impressed by, because he knew that the girl must have been using every single ounce and fiber of her will not to explode with a roar of a shout.

Minutes passed by and all sat in silence, lent back in their chairs expecting the girl to explode with rage.

But she only took one long seething breath before fixing Mike with ferocious and determined eyes. "That stands more to the case then. I know Jack. I understand him far more than anyone else here-" She glanced over at Thomas who was glaring at her. "With the exception of Ryan maybe."

The blond glowered so foully at her for that low blow strike.

"Those personalities." She glanced over at Christina. "Daniel. Jack. Sirena. Rose." She stated, watching the woman's eyes widen in shock. "Four names, for four different personalities, all of which he will be exhibiting in different ways."  
"You do know your brother." Christina said gently, looking in awe at the girl's dedication to her brother. The woman moved on her chair anxiously for a moment before gathering her strength to her heart and looking around. "But it is because of that reason, is why all the more we cannot allow Jack to live with you."  
"Jack's main affliction is with a new found sense of self perception." Thomas added, drawing the attention of the adults who hadn't expected such an evaluated and observant statement to come out of the boy.

Thomas gaze was locked on the floor as though he was imagining all that he had seen over the previous week since Jack's miraculous wake up. "It's something that we've all been doing. Those of us who know anything about him that is."  
"And that would be?" Elektra growled quietly, his voice as harsh as it was blunt.

But Thomas just snapped his gaze up fiercely.

"We've all been expecting things out of him. Our own feelings are what's destroying him! It's why he can't be around you, why he can't be around Ryan. Heck! It's even why it's dangerous for him to be around too much!"  
"What makes you so much better than me or Ryan-" Elektra began but was fiercely cut off suddenly as Thomas' eyes darkened, growing colder and harder than the girl had seen before.  
"I've lived on the streets the majority of my life. I learnt to hide my feelings from the best person to ever be able to make a mask and hide how they felt." Thomas snarled.  
"No one is tat-"  
"Your brother Elektra!" Thomas stated coldly and the girl fell silent, knowing there was no arguing against that fact.

All in the room knew the same.

"But it's still sick, what you are planning. You're ripping away everything that he had linked to his old life."  
"We have to nurture his mind." Christina said gently, her fingers tapping on the table. "We have to nurture it into accepting something to hold onto. Without something to hold onto, Jack with spiral and crash to a point where we will not be able to get him back."

She reached down slowly and brought out a large canvas that she had put into a brief case.

When all caught sight of it, they marveled at it's beauty and the sheer talent which had been branded onto it, but their chest's constricted in horror at what was painted across it.

The image was of a shaved head boy laying all but bare on an alley way floor. Each stone looking as real as though it had been plucked from the outside world and placed into the canvas itself. The boy on the ground was covered in blood, his clothes torn to shreds, blood so detailed on the image that it trickled between the stones and various other pieces of the walls where a hand mark seemingly was painted, smeared across the brickwork in the colour of blood.

"That was by Jack, a few days ago." Christina said. "That isn't red paint." She added even quieter than a whisper, making Elektra's hand slammed onto the arm of her chair and curl tightly into a fist. "After cutting and slicing himself open, he used his own blood as paint." She said sadly.  
"His memories are trying to bleed through." Mike asked quietly, Christina responded with a slow nod, sadly placing the canvas back into the briefcase.  
"The more they are bleeding through though, the harder it is for him to keep a any sense or sanity. If it carries on it will lead to a complete mental break down, if not... him trying something worse than harming himself."  
"This is just wrong!" Elektra barked.  
"At the moment, it is the only way that we are going to be able to keep your brother going." Christina stated firmly.  
"Or is it that you're just looking for someone to replace the hole that your son left!" Elektra stated coldly.

Once more silence filled the room.

"That has been a worry to us." Mike finally said softly, even Thomas looked as though he had thought about this point and conceded it validity.  
"My feelings are completely detached from this, I assure you." Christina stated, a little more harshly than she had first intended. "But my point on this matter is still the same. For Jack's health, we give him something to cope with and for his mind to hold onto. We give him something that maybe he can cope with, something that it can try and accept. Like planting a seed." She sad up slowly.  
"And you think this plan will work?"  
"His mind is desperate for it. Out of the possibilities, it is the only one that is left which would be the safest for option. The danger of this place brings up the relationship he is-"  
"WAS!" Thomas barked.  
"Was." Christina corrected herself with a frown, watching the blond's cold glare pierce the floor. "In with Ryan." She finished her thought. "If not the worry then of him being too exposed to the one thing which at the moment is affecting him the worst."  
"Then-"  
"The same goes for the situation of him living with his sister. The natural look that we all have, which we cannot conceal, especially coming from you Elektra, who has probably lost the most in this situation. Your feelings of sadness would destroy him-"  
"I seem to be controlling my _anger_ quite well, right about now." She warned quietly.

Christina coughed, moving on quickly. "And since my... current circumstances anyway." She said softly. "Out of the doctors at the hospital, he has bonded with me and formed a bond. It's a way that is most beneficial to him, I can give him more support than any other place." She reason, not out of point scoring, but as Mike knew, the woman was only being factual.  
"So you suggest that we tell him... you're his birth mother, while we sign the adoption papers in secret from him." He rubbed his brow, trying to crease out the headache, while trying not to look into the fury which was Elektra's eyes, or the smugness of Thomas'.  
"For his own mental health sanity." Christina said gently. "It's the only way that we can hope to at least steady Jack out... before he crosses the point of no return."  
"No! If that is how it's going to work then let me adopt him or foster him! Make up that I'm a young mother looking to take in a child! Heck! I've been more of a mother to him than our own family even was! I look old enough! Mike, I'm his only family! It's my right to take him in. My apartment has been checked over! Heck, it's probably even nicer than whatever house it is that she lives in!" Elektra pointed a finger at Christina, not looking at the woman. "But you know that as family who have passed inspection, that he is supposed to come and live with me-"  
"Unless other circumstances would dictate that he would not be entirely safe!" Mike reasoned, looking desperately at the girl to see sense and reason.  
"Mike, you know what has to be done." Elektra stated. "I'm his family."  
"You're his weakness right now." Christina said gently as she could, clearly upset to see the girl so very distressed in the horribly awkward situation that they had all been put into. "You love him, so much, but it's that love which will cause him to crash. It comes down to you Mr Milligan." Christina said softly.

Both women looked at him expectantly, waiting patient for his answer.

Thomas glanced between both of them, at this point, even he was unsure which way this would go.

 _This is about to go to hell._ He thought to himself.

"Okay." Mike said gently. "I've made my decision." He looked between both women.

Both glanced over at each other before looking back to him.

"And it's-"

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 _ **To be continued...**_

 _ **Haha! I'm being really mean and leaving you all on a cliff hanger ;) Return tomorrow to find out Mike's decision.**_


	26. Chapter 26

**T** **hanks** **Dark Heart 945** **for your review ^_^ . Thank you also** **to everyone for the follows and favorite so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point.**

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Light began to flood into the windows and illuminate onto the white silk sheets of the bed of the quiet room.

The golden light of filtered brilliance, through the clouds of silver, slowly washed over the bare form and figure who was laying under the silken blanket. The figure let out as a sigh as he couldn't do much other than stare blankly ahead of him as his beautiful turquoise eyes began to slowly open and bathe in the light. A small smile was plastered across his face, but still he winced slightly at the constant stinging pain in his head.

The boy just stared out the window as he watched how the skies were plagued with clouds but clear of any signs of a storm, at least, he prayed to god above that there would be no storms. The cozy size of the room around him became almost scary to consider as he closed his eyes back to the darkness and cradle of slumber. His body ached and was heavy with exhaustion. His voice felt none existent as he was just ready to lay there and do nothing.

He let out a content sight and fell back into the light slumber which he could no longer fight out of.

However, he had hardly noticed the figure behind him that sighed softly and yawned, as it's dark, puppy dog brown eyes began to open. Just like himself, the boy was not dressed in the usual pajamas as they both would have done, but only collapsed with exhaustion after what they had done, neither felt no embarrassment from not wearing any clothes.

After all... it wasn't the first time he had slept with the other boy... well, not in the way that they just had anyway.

He too looked tired and exhausted though. His hands were covered in scratch marks and his neck was a mess of love bites and hickeys from the blue eyed boy. His arms although seeming under toned, had begun to look stronger and more well used though they hid it well. His skinny form was beginning to get replaced by new forming muscles from the amount he had been practicing and training by himself out in the forest behind his house. He had been finding away to get his anger out over the last few years, but only the extreme pushing of himself physically had ever been able to help him, try to express his anger and clear himself free of it.

He sighed contently and let out a small smile as his eyes began to slowly open after slumber had tried to pull him back. He yawned and stretched out as he let the sunlight wash over his face. "I've never had such a good night sleep." He reached up and began to rub the sleep out of his eyes; taking in the entire sight around him of the room. The expensive sheets, the beautiful view of the slender and pale, bare boy in front of him. He was in heaven. He was finally complete again. After two years. He was finally complete.

So with a small sigh he lowered his head and kiss the trembling, pale boy's neck. The smaller boy was whimpering, till his eyes burst open and he let out a shaky breath, holding his head in a painful ache."It was all just a bad dream." He trembled and covered his face with his hands. "It was just all a bad dream!"  
"Uh, huh. Now go back to sleep babe."

Jack paused for a moment and stared as he turned back to see the most beautiful and handsome of boys in the bed, and sleeping bare beneath him, under the silky covers. He curled back into the embrace. But when Ryan slowly wrapped his arms around the boy, kissing Jack's shoulder tenderly on one of his scars, Jack slowly began to stop trembling.

The abundance of fear from his uncontrollable nightmares began to slowly flood away. His eyes began to slowly fall back into a slumber, Ryan just watched his beautiful and viciously cold, blue eyes hide behind pale, pink tinged eye lids. The harsh, porcelain colour of Jack's skin was beginning to highlight now because of the intense cold of the area. It's colour becoming a paler, had it been any more possible. His red and black hair was splayed out on the pillow behind him, while the boy's scars stood out like goosebumps across the boy's skin. But one thing that never changed about Jack? That beautiful, silky accent and voice.

Ryan slowly ran his finger down the boy's jawline. "I don't know... what did I ever do... to be so lucky to meet you." The boy purred as he slowly wrapped his arm around the resembling figure.

Jack paused slightly as from under half closed eyes he slowly looked over back at Ryan, while the taller brunette spoke gently. "Go back to sleep. We deserve at least that don't we after dealing with the last couple of days, don't we?" Ryan smiled softly as he rested his chin on top of Alex's head and pulled him close to his chest as the boy curled into him. "But then again, we can't we just have one day off. But we can enjoy this. You must not get to lie in much else where."  
"I haven't slept much, or at all since I've woken up... Although-"

Ryan watched Jack's eyes glaze over as he slipped back into the dark and empty void which were his memories... and Ryan knew that he was trying with all his might to remember something of his old life before his incident.

It was unjust that he has to suffer through that while one group of men are still free.

"Just enjoy a lie in for once." Ryan whispered softly, his voice a gentle mutter as he closed his eyes again and pulled both of them back under the covers. His hands dancing over Alex's exposed waist and lacing together as he pulled him closer.  
"Don't you have school to worry about or anything?" Jack sighed as he closed his eyes and took in the feeling of Ryan being pressed against him  
"It's Friday." Ryan smiled softly. "It's also new years eve. It's why I'm surprised that no one walked in on us. We're all on the winter break, schools break up for the season, though we have to pretty much go back the week after next." Jack finally turned over and Ryan purred softly as he gazed down at the beautiful figure and enchanting eyes, before he laced his fingers with the boy's.

Jack slowly slid one thin and intensely pale, weak leg out from under the sheets and placed his feet on the cold floor. "You know what happens when we get up." Ryan whispered softly as he rolled over in the sheets and began to press his lips gently against the other boy's spine. Immediately Jack let out a soft moan of bliss and went back to the position both of them had been in before as Ryan pressed kisses down his back.  
"Yeah." Jack muttered begrudgingly before he closed his eyes and lost himself in the feeling of the velvet lips and Ryan's hands moving across his skin.

But then something clicked inside Jack as his eyes burned with a new and growing defiance. "Then can we at least just enjoy this time together and have some fun."  
"You mean round two?" Ryan laughed quietly.

Both fell silent as their lips connected forcefully and their bodies pressed back together. He flipped them so that Jack was beneath him but he let the other boy take the lead as to how far and how he wanted this to go. They were both close to doing something so brand new to them that there was a slight fear running through them at what may have came next.

But for now Ryan didn't care about that. _That_ didn't matter as a important thing to him. Sure, _That_ had just felt so freaking amazing, and even more so of because who it had been with. But as long as Jack was happy and wasn't scared, then Ryan was happy. It was all because of one mounting reason. One thing that Ryan couldn't deny as he had only known this boy a short while but couldn't fight against any longer. Well, he hadn't known _this_ boy long, but the one before, he had known. He had said those words then and he meant them even more now. One thing he could no longer refuse. But he had to. He had to bite back those words that he wanted to scream out in frustration. _I love you._ Ryan whispered in his thoughts as his hand moved up the smooth skin of the other boy.

He didn't expect a response back from Jack. He wouldn't put the boy in that dangerous situation. He knew Jack was in danger, he had to be careful just how far they took things. He knew that Jack had a trouble using that word when it came to anyone else, heck, he had enough trouble with it when he had his memories. But Ryan could wait though.

Because to him, Jack was worth waiting for.

He smiled slightly as they both slowed down their kiss and rested their heads against one another. "You're trembling." Jack whispered so softly that Ryan almost missed it completely. He hadn't even noticed that his body was doing that... maybe it was the adrenaline or the slight fear that came from being this intimate with someone.  
"I'll be okay." he smiled shakily.

The windows had begun to mist up from the growing heat in the room.

Jack how ever just panted slightly for breath as Ryan was, so he just reached out his cold hand and gently pulled the boy's head down onto his pale chest. Running his hands through that soft brown hair. He planted a soft kiss on the boy's forehead before closing his eyes and falling back to sleep gently with him.

And that's how they remained for a couple of hours.

Well until they heard the shouting coming from outside.

"Seriously?" Ryan groaned as he adjusted their position so he was the one holding Jack instead. He knew what they were all shouting about but that just made him want to cradle the boy even more. He tried his best to keep the sleeping Jack as comfortable, but the room wasn't sound proof... a fact he was slightly worried about when he would come out the room and see the others. But still, from the loud shouting down stairs, he could recognize the voices. The three distinct arguing voices anyway.

He made a mental note to destroy them later, as Jack's tired and exhausted eyes began to blink open for a second before he moaned quietly under his breath, and turned his head into Ryan's chest. Ryan just kept his fingers massaging the boy's scalp and running through the red and black locks of hair, but Jack just sighed.  
"You know that we're going to have to get up sometime." Jack muttered as he kept his eyes closed.

But Ryan didn't want this moment to end.

Why couldn't time just pause like this?  
Why did it have to end?  
 _I love you._ Ryan thought to himself before he spoke quietly. "I know."  
Jack nodded and placed a kiss softly on his lips as they opened their eyes to each other.

But unfortunately... you can't stop time, however hard you try.

"I have something I want to give you." Jack whispered and quickly got out of bed as he rushed over to the bag he had dropped off for the purpose of staying at here. He had planned ahead for something like this, to always have it close by should he ever needed to wanted to give it away. But now he seemed to be searching for something as though this was the scariest thing he could possibly think of at all. "After I left the... I thought... I'd never be able to get back out here, they did some tests and for a few days, I thought that they were going to lock me away somewhere."

Ryan tried to stop his eyes from flaring as he made a mental note to later hunt down a few of those doctors.

Jack turned his eyes down to look at the floor as he pulled out a small leather bound book and a canvas. The material of the cover looked worn and faded. Ryan was surprised to see the boy bring out a quill instead of a pen as he laid it to rest on top of the book. The lock was what looked like gold and shaped like a heart. "So I decided to give writing a go, to try and clear some of my thoughts. As well as painting." Jack said gently.

Jack paused for a moment as he smiled at the cover. "I want you to have this." He held it out and Ryan paused as he stared at it. "If you want it that is-"

Jack fell quiet as his mouth collided with his boyfriend's.

He had never smiled so brightly as he closed his eyes and felt the pure love and bliss which was expressed by the simple gesture. Not as though he ever really had anything to compare it to any more. But somehow he always knew that with Ryan, it just felt right. It was always fresh, and exciting. "You're going to need the key."

Ryan felt the soft chain of gold fall around his neck as strange double shaped key was placed down on him as though he was being knighted.  
"You're trusting me with this." Ryan said, his eyes slightly taken back with disbelief.  
"It feels... right to." Jack whispered and placed one last kiss on the boy. "After all-"

Then both boys stopped as time seemed to completely slow down.

The handle to the door slowly turned and both turned pale as May-Li began to walk in.

"Ryan are you- OH-oh." She paused in the doorway and turned away immediately, her face bright red at the exposed state she had caught both boys in. Jack's face was pale and his jaw hung open as words failed him. Ryan had pulled the majority of the blanket around Jack so that the woman would see only his face and nothing else of his body, while Ryan used his own body at the same time, like an acting shield barrier between the woman and the boy. "Ryan! We told you! You cannot-"  
"Yeah, yeah! Before we start that speech, first you may just want to talk to Carmen about the boys she's been sneaking into her bedroom! Secondarily, before we do the whole speech! Can we get dressed please!" He snapped.

May-Li covered her face and kept her head turned away from them as she gaped like a fish, not entirely sure what to say. "I had come to ask if you'd seen Jack, but- I guess."  
"Yeah, you could say that I've seen a lot of him." Ryan smirked, then felt Jack punch him weakly in his arm.  
"Ryan!" Both the woman and the boy snapped.  
"What?" He shrugged, smirking.  
"Jack, when you're decent, can you please come down stairs. There's someone here for you. I'll wait for you outside."

With that May-Li left and closed the door behind her.

The moment that she did, Jack threw his head back against the pillow with his face in his hands, his grip on the blanket releasing as he couldn't just believe exactly what had happened. How! How of all the unluckiest people on the bloody planet! How could that of happened to freaking him! Honestly! "Oh, my, god! I can't believe-" He paused as a small sound caught his ear.

The boy slowly turned his cold eyes to look back over at his boyfriend. Ryan was biting his lip, obviously in a visible struggle and effort to not laugh, though his eyes sparkled with amusement. "You're laughing!?" Jack barked with disbelief.  
"N-No." Ryan snickered, turning his head away.  
"YES YOU ARE!" Jack glared.  
"Okay, okay!" Ryan threw his hands up. "Just a little bit!"  
"How is any of this funny! What about this could be funny!"  
"The fact that I'm glad she didn't walk in on us a few hours ago." Ryan smirked, pecking Jack's lips quickly as he threw his head back laughing as the boy blushed bright pink.

Jack slid out of the bed, pulling on his boxers and a pair of skinny fit jeans, not even looking at them.

"Here." Ryan grinned sitting up and climbing out the bed as he walked over to his wardrobe, pulling out a jumper, which in Jack's malnourished state, may be a little bit too big on the smaller boy, but looked adorable on him. As it slopped slightly on his shoulder, Ryan smirked and placed a few prolonged kisses on the boy's skin. Jack blushed brightly and let out a few quiet moans at the softness of Ryan's lips, but said nothing till the brunette's arms slid around his waist and pulled them close to his body. "Will I see you tonight?"  
"Well I doubt that I'm going to be able to here after what she has just seen." He sighed, rubbing his forehead as it twinged achingly with a sharp pain. It seemed to lessen slightly as Ryan kissed the spot and his dark eyes sparkled, watching Jack blush.  
"Oh I don't know. I think we can find a way. But we just have to keep it a secret from Goldie locks."  
"Why? Thomas has been a great friend since-"  
"Just trust me." Ryan chuckled quietly, though there was something of an edge to it as he thought about Thomas. "But there's normally a party here on New Year's eve. Try and make it?" Ryan asked softly and Jack sighed.  
"Fine... but you will be Cosplaying with me at comic con." He stated confidently.  
"We'll see."  
"Oh... We definitely will." Jack smirked, then rubbed his aching head one more time before turning to the door as there was a knock.  
"Jack?" May-Li called. "Do you want to bring Ryan with you? If it helps you? If he can get ready quickly-"

Ryan grinned, pulling on some pajama trousers and a loose shirt.

"I think he'd like that." Jack giggled softly.  
"I'll take a look at that book and painting when we get back." Ryan promised quietly, then followed after Jack as he opened the door.

May-Li looked between them at the cocky grin that was plastered across Ryan's face, and the utterly embarrassed look which Jack couldn't shake as he kept blushing at his boyfriend. The woman had worked at the home for a while now and had grown used to the shenanigans that the kids got up to, but she hadn't known just truly what some of the things were that the kids got up to behind their backs.

"I'm not going to tell Mike." She said softly, looking between both boys as she stood at the top of the stairway.

Jack shot her a look of complete gratitude.

Ryan narrowed his eyes with a raised eyebrows.

"What do you want?" He said quietly.  
"I just hope that you were both safe." She said casually, leaning against the wall looking between both of their scandalized looks.  
"Excuse me?!" Jack squeaked.  
"Well, I hope you were both safe and at least did it properly." May-Li said casually as though she was talking about the most natural thing in the world. "After all, if done not right-"  
"Okay-okay!" Ryan raised his hands. "Stop please!"  
"You could seriously hurt your partner!" She said, looking at Jack who's face was so bright pink that she thought that he was resembling cherry blossom more and more.  
"Oh...my...god." He whispered under his breath, looking any where but at the other two.  
"You can stop now! Just punish us instead." Ryan snapped.  
"Then you have to think about what your partner is comfortable with." The woman grinned.  
"OKAY! NO MORE!" Both boys snapped.

She smirked. "If I catch you both again in that condition, I'll make you sit through an entire seminar about sexually transmitted diseases." She warned, her eyes sparkling as she watched both stare at her with complete disbelief and horror. "Do you understand."  
"Crystal clear." Jack whimpered, his voice still coming out as a shocked squeak.  
"Perfectly clear." Ryan agreed, his face bright red with embarrassment.  
"And punishment dealt with." She grinned. "Huh look at that Ryan." She teased. "Your face now matches his hair."  
"Oh shut up!" The boy muttered, shoving his hands in his pocket as he walked down the stairs with Jack, listening to May-Li's quiet laughter.

 _Note to self._ He thought. _Next time... put a bloody lock on the door!_

He face palmed and rubbed away his own headache, neither boys able to look at each other now without their faces glowing with embarrassment.

Only when they came to a stop in front of Mike's office, did Ryan frown slightly, looking over at the woman. "What's this all about?" He wondered, taking a protective step in front of Jack.  
"Some one is here to talk to Jack and we thought that maybe it would be best to handle it here, where there is the best support on hand should anything..."  
 _Go to hell._ Ryan finished the woman's sentence and frowned as he took a further protective step.  
"What is going on." He stated again, his eyes piercing into her but the woman only sighed.

The woman opened the door slowly and Jack frowned slightly as Ryan and he took a step into the room, glancing at each other for a minute not understanding what was exactly going on.

"Jack." Mike smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you." He said.  
Ryan shot the man a warning look about the familiarity that shined in the man's eyes.

Mike took the glance and turned his head away quickly sitting back down from where he had stood to shake Jack's hand, and coughed awkwardly.

"You?" Jack frowned looking at the woman with complete confusion as to why she may be here. "What are you doing here?"

The woman slowly stood with a small smile her hands laced. Her hazel eyes glinting slightly in the light though her smile was as kind as always.

"Well sweetie... there's something I needed to tell you, I thought it was about time that you were ready." Christina said softly.  
Jack frowned.  
Ryan's eyes widened with realization as Thomas stepped out from behind the woman, sending the brunette a dark smirk.  
"I'm your mother darling." Christina said softly.  
 _Checkmate._ Thomas' gaze seemed to say.


	27. Chapter 27

**T** **hanks** **Dark Heart 945** **for your review . Thank you also** **to everyone for the follows and favorite so far!** **I hope you all have a lovely day/night wherever you all are!** **Warning: Story contains, boyxboy, scenes of violence, character death, mentions of past abuse, swearing and... well, you kinda get the point. Updates may not be as constant for a while, having some rather bad issues with personal health. Sorry for the inconvenience.**

* * *

Thomas knocked on the door loudly. "Jack, come on, it's okay, let us in so we can-"  
 _SMASH  
BANG_  
 _SMASH_

Thomas flinched back from the door as he heard the glass shatter loudly while followed by an array of other large and heavy objects which had hit the spot directly on the door where his head should have been had he opened the door up, and then followed up by where his voice had echoed from.

Jack however just glowered foully at the spot on the door as he paced and forth in Mike's office. His eyes ablaze with complete and utter disbelief, hatred, livid anger and something he didn't quite recognize himself. It was like there was a cold grip around his heart sending shock wave after shock wave of ice like adrenaline through his heart.

The light was trapped behind the cloud cover outside now as heavy sleet smashed against the window. The cold silver streaks of the dark glow from the winter storm highlighted Jack's eyes making them look more viciously harsh and cold than they ever have in his entire life. He was a torch dropped into gasoline, in the middle of a forest. At least that's what he felt like. But his gaze was colder than the harshest winter which could have been storming outside.

His shirt felt tight over his chest, he had already ripped the jumper over his head, taking sharp pants of breath as he seethed between his teeth. He had it held tight to his chest like some kind of warden charm to keep the others away, but a part of Ryan close to him. He had wanted nothing more than to pull the brunette in with him into the room and cry into the boy and just laid there sobbing, because he had known that he would feel secure there.

"Hey. I thought maybe you could do with someone to talk to-"

Elektra ducked out the way as Jack span on the spot, the vase in his hand which had been aimed at her head, was gripped tighter at the last possible second, but the momentum that Jack had thrown himself into kept him spinning till his hand collided with the wall and the cheap vase in his hand shattered into a fall of shards, some piercing deeply into his wrist and palm, the others clattering to the table.

Elektra cried out but Jack barely even looked up as his gaze slowly slid down his arm and stared hungrily at the deep wounds. _Yes..._ The voice in his head purred. It's hunger sated now that he had hurt himself. _Now only if you could just do the same to their throats._ It cackled before falling quiet. But Jack barely even noticed. His eyes were too hungrily fixated now on the lapping flows of crimson which fell from his wrist, leaving split streams down the pale of his arm. The glass shards embedded into the skin caught the light and glistened painfully as he slowly rose his hand to the ceiling light to examine the damage further.

His tongue slowly crawled out as he brought his arm close and curiously lapped the edge of his tongue against the still warm life force.

 _Good boy Jackie._ The voice cackled quietly with amusement. _Take notes. This is the only thing in life that is constant. That we all bleed and to those who say they don't? Prove them wrong._ It laughed viciously away in his head but fell silent once against as Elektra called out the boy's name.

She locked the door behind her quickly before running over to him and getting on her knees in front of him, she always knew that it used to make Jack feel so much more comfier when he was like this that there wasn't someone towering over him, he would only tense up at that.

Despite what their decision had been. She still knew her brother and that meant she knew how to handle him when he was like this. God knows she had before these idiots had even ever actually met him.

Though staring up at him now, she had to admit that for a moment she found herself staring behind her own mask at him, finding it the most incredibly difficult and yet the most easy thing ever to recognize this as her brother.

Staring into those bright azure, cerulean turquoise eyes, she could see the person who was her brother in that moment. She could see the lost boy stuck in the spotlight and the shadows. The same look that the boy seemed to be fighting against something, automatically seemingly to reign in what ever may have been in those eyes and hide them.

But as Elektra gently curled her fingers around the space on his arm that wasn't damaged, she watched his gaze harden and viciously freeze over as he looked through her. It's the first time that she had been on the end of this look from him since they were kids, then she had understood just as she did now, but still she managed to keep her face clear of hurt. She was too worried about him anyway in that moment to feel much hurt from that look as though she was some ghost to him.

She glanced up for a moment to his hair and froze on the inside.

An image slowly crossed her mind, of a young nine year old Daniel slowly climbing out of his bed in the morning with an ear to ear smile before ran into her hug. Her spinning him around the room and lifting him into the air with so much happiness as she held him. His small rosy cheeks, his sparkling blue eyes, his soft silver hair. Her baby brother.

Now she stared into eyes colder than a frozen sun. Hair both black as midnight and as red as blood. Skin not like porcelain but marred like a dropped doll, waiting to fall apart piece by piece.

Her baby brother... oh, what had the world done to him?

She stood up only in time to take a cautious step back as she watched his fingers slowly creeping towards a sharp shard. His fingers curled around it tightly, slicing into his palm and letting a new flow of blood move across the porcelain skin and drip across the carpet. She had her hand raised taking step after step carefully back. This was dangerous. Very dangerous. Not for her sake, but for what he could do to himself. While he was this pent up, it could go either way as to what could happen. The boy could break down and start crying or he could go violent.

"I'm going." She whispered softly, not meeting his gaze but lowering her head. Her hand fumbling for the lock.

No... she wasn't the person to handle this situation. Not any more. Not by a long shot.

But... she could guess who could.

With a quick pull on the door she threw it open and herself out of it, back into Mike and May-Li who caught her as she stumbled in her heels. Thomas and Christina slammed the door as quickly as they could just as they heard Jack bring his hand down and the glass shatter on the wood. "He paused Mike!" Elektra smiled ever so slightly. "When he saw it was me. He was going to throw the vase but he stopped himself! He stopped himself!"  
"But." Came Thomas lazy voice as the blond glared at her, with narrowed eyes.  
"But." She growled at him, before turning her gaze back to Mike who was stood, looking worryingly at the door, fearing Jack's state. "He smashed it on the wall instead and hurt himself."

"So." Came a cold and yet surprisingly calm voice. Though it was full of mock understanding, sarcasm and a deeply, deeply restraint loathing in that second as slowly all began to turn their heads around to the speaker. "The plan was, that to make a boy, who has a complete and utter detachment from his memories, not just now, but also when he had them, but not just that, while he was in the most vulnerable mental state that he had ever been in... to give his mind a shock which obviously he couldn't handle."

All looked over at Ryan who was sat back in a chair with his legs crossed, his eyes locked on each other them with a raised eyebrow and a look of utter amusement and yet a blistering anger as he heard the faint cries coming from the room that no one else did. "I must say." He slowly uncoiled his arms from where they had been folded over each other to mockingly clap each of them in turn. "This... is a whole new level of brilliance... for a fuck up I mean." He stated coldly. "Even from idiots such as you."  
"Ryan!" Mike stated sternly.  
Christina glanced down at the ground.  
Elektra smirked, trying not to laugh quietly while she shook her head and glared at the other woman.  
Thomas just glowered at Ryan.

Ryan could still see it playing over and over in his head now. He kept evaluating it, just for the fun of could it have possibly had gone any worse at all. The answer? HA! Fuck no could it have!

The moment that Christina had spoken, Jack had fallen into silence. All in the room had just turned towards him, trying to give him an explanation. Well, actually, it had been interesting. Thomas, Ryan and Elektra had all just waited there in silence, watching, seeing how it was already playing out. Watching Jack as carefully as they ever had in their time of knowing him.

Mike, May-Li and Christina had all tried asking him if he was okay, asking him if he needed anything, asking him if he needed to sit down... in short. Overwhelming him.

Ryan had just watched the boy's fringe settle over his eyes, hiding those blue eyes and making it even more difficult for him to be able to tell anything. Jack's hands had been limp at his side. Full of tension but the boy had been keeping it quiet.

Up until the point he had asked quietly. "Ryan... get them out. Quickly." He had hissed between his teeth. His fists had slowly curled together, flexing out sporadically and rather violently as his breaths had been starting to come out in small pants.  
Thomas and the brunette had shouted at them to get out quickly.

Elektra had grabbed Mike and May-Li, just as Ryan and Thomas had, (Ryan at that point in time, rather unwillingly so, half being dragged himself.), grabbed Christina and pulled her out the door, just as Jack's screams and roars of shouts had started, the boy's anger lashing out in an explosion.

They had all stood in silence for about ten minutes.

That's when Thomas had made his move, bringing them back up to date.

Thomas glowered violently at Ryan for a long moment. "And because you've done such an amazing better job for Jack!" The blond snapped with a glower. His eyes glistening dangerously as he pointed towards the door. "Because you've done so much more for him than any of us-"  
"Yes." Ryan stated calmly, his face completely impassive. His voice curt and to the point as it cut off the other boy. "I'm so glad that you agree."  
"You little bastard-"  
"Hah, you're throwing stones in glass houses there mate." Ryan smirked, slowly tapping his foot as his eyes darkly glistened.  
"Both of you enough!" Mike stated.

But both boy's only stayed there in their little stand off.

To them, this was nothing for the toys to deal with. This was game player verses game player.

The difference Ryan this time knew he had already won.

She kept his face impassive though there was a glint in his dark puppy dog brown eyes as he lent forward. His fingers laced slowly while Thomas ground his teeth together, seething quietly at his hatred of the boy. "So what do you suggest then! He wouldn't calm down for his own sister- oh sorry. Ex-Sister!" Mike spoke up quickly as both he and Christina took a stance in front of Elektra, stopping the girl and the murderous look in her eyes as she moved forward with a deadly hatred. "For me! For Christina!" Thomas continued, not even caring at Elektra threatening glare. "So what the hell, could you of all people do! You who has seen him about three times-"  
 _Four and technically, I've seen a hell of a lot more of him than you._ Ryan thought smugly, fighting the face splitting grin which threatened to come across him.  
"So please! If you think that you can actually do, so much better than we've all been doing this last week! Me! Bruce! Christina! Please! If you think you can out beat us, one of us a trained psychologist who couldn't see this happening! THEN GO AHEAD!" Thomas barked.

Ryan sat there for a moment in silence.

He yawned slowly and unlocked Jack's old phone which he had gotten repaired and began to tap away on the screen.

"Ha!" Thomas snapped. "I thought not-"

All fell silent as music began to slowly move it's way out of the speakers on the phones and all turned as silence filled the room of the office. All stood there frozen, except for Ryan, who flicked through a few songs, playing their intros slowly before moving onto another, not seemingly happy with them. Thomas edged closer to the door frowning. Christina and Mike glanced towards each other, before all turned back to look incredulously at Ryan when the most surprising thing happened.

 _"I was thinking about him. Thinking about me. Thinking about us. What we gonna be. Opened my eyes. It was only just a dream."_

All listened to the amazingly beautiful soft voice which whispered around the words like a soft silk and velvet. It was so smooth and hypnotic. So calm and careful in it's words but at the same time so full of emotion. It was like an angel was whispering the words to the air in a voice of utter and complete beauty.

 _"So I traveled back. Down that road. When you coming back? No one knows. I realized... it was only just a dream."_

 _Ryan rose from the seat slowly and knocked gently on the door while the music was playing._ "Princess? It's Ryan. Can I come in?"

The lock slowly released on the door and Ryan turned the handle slowly beginning to open it just a crack.

He thought for a moment then as he gazed back over his shoulder at an utterly irate looking Thomas. The blond's face was nearly bright red with anger, his eyes ablaze with fury and disbelief. He stood there staring at Ryan like the boy had just done the impossible. So for a moment Ryan considered on what maybe he should say. A few things crossed his mind. Maybe casually saying; _'Like a boss',_ or maybe, ' _So does this mean that I should have a degree in psychology?'_

But in the end he settled for a good old fashioned.

"Checkmate." He smirked, stepping into the office.

Just closing it in time as he heard a vase which had been holding flowers, smash against the door after Thomas had thrown them at him but hit the door instead and then Mikes shouts at the boy to go to his room.

He wanted to double over laughing at how he had simply just crushed the other boy and just exactly how smoothly he had done it.

 _Mental note to self. Do that again some time. That was fun._

 _"I was at the top and now it's like I'm in the basement. Number one top now he's finding a replacement. I swear now that I can't take it-"_ Ryan paused as he watched the words struggle in Jack's throat.

The red and black haired boy just slowly turned on the spot from the stance he had taken by the window. The cold and harsh winter light running over his face while blood poured freely down the boy's arms. The deep ebbed shards of glass shined faintly and Ryan just stared for a moment.

He didn't even realize his body had acted without his knowing as his arms moved out and Jack just ran straight into them, balling his fist up against Ryan's chest and leaning his head so he could listen to the soothing sound of the brunette's heart beat. "Are you having a love affair with my heart?" He chuckled softly, winding his arms tightly around Jack and hushing softly as he slightly rocked the boy in his arms. His own fingers carefully moving through Jack's red and black hair.

It was strange now. there was a time when both had been on the same level, but with the years, it seemed that Ryan had just grown taller. Not that he was arguing. It just meant that no matter what heels his Princess wore now. Jack would only ever be on his height, just about from now on. Though it wasn't out of malice that he thought like that. He just loved this feeling right now of being able to hold the blue eyed boy to his chest, to hold him and know that the world around him was safe because _his_ entire world was embraced in his arms at that moment.

Jack's breaths came out in small whimpering bursts but Ryan just smiled slightly and closed his eyes, letting his body and the feeling of Jack just be all that he needed. "Your heart is constant, strong and beautiful." Jack whispered. His melody voice still as beautiful as the first day that Ryan had ever heard it. He was trembling slightly but not as bad as he had done when he had first run over. "It's reliable."  
"It always will be for you." Ryan whispered gently. "Just as I will be. If you ever need anything, I will always be there for you. If you ever feel angry, please don't push me away."  
"B-But I'll hurt you." Jack whispered.  
"No." The brunette stated with a soft certainty as he pulled the red and black haired boy over to the near table, taking out the first aid kit, using a pair of tweezers, a needle and thread and some bandages. But as he inspected the wounds closer, he took noticed that the blood was still relatively light, the amount there must have made it look a lot worse than it actually was. "It's going to hurt like hell for a few days but... I think that it's not that bad over all. You could have done a hell of a lot worse." Ryan sighed with relief.  
"I didn't mean to... it's just... that co worker... I don't know why but I just-" Jack frowned to himself, rubbing his forehead and smearing some of his blood across his cheek and pale skin, but not seemingly noticing. He was frustrated. Normally when he flipped off into a rage like that, any one and everyone were open and fair targets for his lack of control... with the exception of Ryan that was. Ryan was mainly the only other person that Jack ever knew he would try to never hurt.

Ryan dabbed the antiseptic on some cotton buds and as lightly as possible went to cleaning out the wounds, relieved more than he could say to see that they weren't as bad as he thought that they had originally been.

"Here." He said gently, wiping away the blood before leaning in and placing a prolonged and slow kiss against Jack's forehead. The pale boy let out a soft sigh and whisper of bliss at the boy's lips then blushed brightly as Ryan pulled back and went back to work bandaging Jack's arms. "Those voices don't scare me." He grinned. "Plus, they'd never hurt me."  
 _Never!_ The voice cheered in Jack's head, making it ache with pain. _Never! Never! NEVER!  
_ "Easy now." He whispered, placing one more soft kiss on Jack's head, almost like he was speaking to the voice itself. "For me?" He asked gently.

A comfortable silence fell after that, only to be accented by the gentle music played on Jack's old phone.

"You're a strange one." Jack said finally after a minute or so when Ryan finished the bandaging and the pale boy looked down slowly at both of his hands before sighing.  
"Come on."  
"W-What?"

Ryan wrapped his arm around the boy's waist and slowly pulled him back to his feet, slowly lacing their fingers together, though he did it as gently as he possibly could. "You princess, last night I have to say, your dancing skills were a little off."  
"They weren't this morning according to the way you was-"  
"O-Okay." Ryan blushed. "Your slow dancing moves. So I was thinking that Princess, you need to learn."  
"Only if it's always going to be you who is the one holding me."

Jack's words were soft and pain. Ryan had already moved his feet under Jack's so the he could move for the both of them. As hard as Jack may try, there was just no hiding the obvious limp in the boy's step. Even when he had run it had been more obvious than Ryan had seen it. Jack needed rehabilitation with his walking. With moving. He needed that someone to be there and guide him through it... and that person would be Ryan.  
"Always." Ryan whispered, closing his eyes and nuzzling his face down as Jack rested his pale face against the brunette's chest. "I promise you." A small smile crept along Ryan's mouth. "Which is why I have a plan for the rest of today, and a way for you to stay here tonight."  
"How can we sneak out?"  
"A plan."  
"A plan huh?"  
"Yeah a plan!"  
"What kind of plan." A tiny grin edged at Jack's mouth.  
"Oh you know... just a plan."  
"You have nothing in mind yet do you sweet heart." Jack leaned up and placed a kiss on Ryan's jaw before going back to listening to the sound of his heartbeat.  
"Don't dis the plan! I have a plan alright, it's just no fun to ruin the surprise."  
"And how are we going to sneak past my body guards and my...mother." Jack said the last word like it was some kind of sickness.  
"Oh... don't you worry. You just let your Knight worry about that."  
"If you say so... _Rye-Rye_ " He sighed gently.

And even though the pain in Jack's body made him feel like he wanted to pass out, he stood there fighting it. Because for however much poisonous pain there was.

Ryan would always be his antidote.


	28. Chapter 28

_**Update:**_ ** _So I really have to apologise, I hadn't realized I'd forgot to thank all of you in the chapter. All your lovely comments really help me through this difficult time. I'm sorry for the late updates but as my condition is deteriorating I think it's only fairy that I explain why I hadn't updated in the last week. I collapsed in college and have been bleeding a lot out of my face and vomiting it up, so I've been out cold a lot in hospital over the last week. It has certainly been scary. Only in the last few days I've felt a bit of strength return, so I'm trying to make it up to all of you. Thank you all so much for your continued support. It means so much more to me than you all will ever know. *Big heart*_**

* * *

Ryan sighed sadly, his eyes weighed down painfully as he slipped through the small opening of the office doorway and pulled it shut gently behind him. His gaze a lingering over his shoulder as he turned away from the five gazes of the others. He had his arms pulled around himself, his own gaze slowly slipping to the floor, only very briefly moving over to Elektra before he lent back against the door.

"Well?" The woman asked as she was still glowering rather foully over at Christina.

Mike was off to the side still scolding Thomas about his behavior and the way that he had acted.

May-Li smiled a little sadly and walked over resting a hand on Ryan's shoulder, his dark eyes regarding his sad gaze with a pain knowing. "Is he okay?"  
"Jack has agreed to come out." Ryan said with a frown, gazing up slowly and looking at Christina. "He said he would like to talk to you, if that is still okay?"

The nurse had stuck around, a smile betrayed her face which had been all so nostalgic but a few minutes ago. She made ever such a poor job of trying to hide just how exactly happy she was that Jack wanted to speak to her. "Of course." She said gently. "Anything."  
"Shall we-"  
"No." Ryan took a step back, gazing back at May-Li who had moved towards the door. "He wants to talk to you upstairs-"  
"Well I ain't leaving him again!" Thomas snapped. "Not to you, not to these, not to anyone! Sod you!" The blond barked angrily, storming towards the stairs and taking them in bounds.  
"Oh Thomas." Christina sighed, chasing after the angry boy. "I'll help him calm down."

Mike and May-Li glanced over to each other and sighed. "We better go and sit in on this too." Mike said softly, patting Ryan on the shoulder.  
"Elektra, can I please talk to you... I'm just struggling with this situation and I need your help. I just... need someone to talk to."  
"I think that is a very mature thing to ask." May-Li smiled encouragingly, hugging him quickly like Mike who embraced him, before both turned towards Elektra who wouldn't meet either of their gazes. "I know this is difficult for all of us. It wasn't an easy decision to make Elektra."  
"But we have to try and make the best out of a bad situation." Mike continued, rubbing his forehead slightly, his own habit that he always did when he was stressed.

But the woman only looked at the two not with a cold anger. Her eyes pained and weighed down by the agony of what had happened to her. What was still happening to her. The fact that the boy in the next room, who she had opened her self to complete, who she loved with every ounce of herself. Still just looked through her.  
"I'm sure that will help you just as much as it will help me." Ryan growled sadly, his gaze down cast still.

Mike patted him on the shoulder one last time with a small, sad smile.

"I'll let you have some quiet. Just send Jack up when he's ready." Mike whispered gently.

Though the moment that both adults reluctantly turned around.

A cold smile exploded across his face as they followed the other two upstairs.

The cold smirk grew and grew till it possessed Ryan's entire face and the cold sparkle in his eyes glistened like a raging inferno.

"Coast is clear." He whispered softly, knocking against the door as gently as possible.

Jack crept out and glanced between him and Elektra, his eyes a little cautious and tinted with shame.

"This is the worker who decided to watch us this afternoon." Ryan grinned. "Sparky, meet Jack. Jack, meet sparky."  
 _Sparky?!_ Elektra glowered at him, but was still completely shocked with disbelief, not understanding exactly what was going on in front of her right now.  
"Did you find it?" He asked, then took a large bag out of Jack's hands which was held up by a coat hanger.

The same bag that Jack had brought with them two years ago on their first date.

It's contents were about to come very much in handy.

Ryan was like a giddy little kid at Christmas just being given the gift that he had been wanting all along. He was all but bouncing on the heels of his feet with excitement. His brown eyes sparkling with far much more life than he had shown in two years. Today was the day that he took back some justice, not just for himself, but for Jack, for Elektra. He didn't do it out of malice to the others, oh no, that was just a great coincidental benefit.

He was doing this because it was him and Elektra sat by Jack's side for two years.

He was not going to be swept under the carpet with Elektra.

This was Ryan's game. It had been his game from the moment that Jack had first walked into their bedroom those years ago. From the moment he had seen that gorgeous silver haired boy walk into the room, the game had begun. This was only the part where both were detoured. But Ryan was able to win and finish the game. There was no other spaces for people like Thomas to play.

No.

This was now between him and Elektra, finding a way to catch Jack up on the playing board.

Besides, it was always best to have a puppet on side Ryan found. Best to know your enemy and Elektra was a prime example of a puppet at work, controlled by the world which Ryan was going to rip away from his Princess. No longer would those foul and stinking puppets ever try to fucking hurt his beautiful, beautiful Jack.

"So where are we going then?" Jack whispered, bringing Ryan's attention back to the gorgeous boy.  
"Well, we enjoy dancing... but, I thought maybe this time we may just try something... a bit different." Ryan grinned from ear to ear.

An hour later he was stood staring into a mirror inspecting his own image as he looked at the suit that he wore.

"RYAN YOU'RE SO DEAD WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!" He heard Jack shout from the room over, before he doubled over laughing.

He was wearing a black tight fitted suit and waist jacket which showed the strong yet slender tones of his sixteen year old body. He wore a formal white shirt with a black tie and adjusted it slightly. His face was lit up with a bright smile. He had been thinking about this since they had been stood on the hill and danced.

He had been thinking-

"RYE-RYE I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" Jack growled as he stormed into the room.

Ryan turned and bit his lip as his eyes sparkled.

"What? You're fine that I call you Princess-"  
"Doesn't mean that I want to dress like one!"

Jack was stood there with eyes narrowed and glared at his boyfriend with complete disbelief. "Is this some weird kink or something that you haven't told me about, because if you wanted to see me in a dress, you could have just asked!" Jack muttered.

Long golden and silver highlighted curls fell from the wig he was wearing down either side of his face and down his back and shoulders. His hair was like both the moon and the sun come to life on a person. The boy's natural silver blond highlights were shed even colder with the warm tones of sun gold. It made Jack's porcelain skin and viciously cold blue eyes come to life so much more.

But with what he was wearing. Ryan was more shocked than anything else just to see how much it actually suited Jack.

The boy stood there in black heels, tapping his fingers against his thin bicep, his eyes narrowed. "I'm also quite curious as to where the hell, you of all people managed to get a dress like this?"  
"You look... so beautiful." Ryan stuttered, only able to say just that as he looked at the boy who's face exploded out into a crimson blush.

Jack's torso was wrapped in a black and white corset. The white was softer than silk against his skin and thin lines of patterns were stitched across the dress. It was patterned like a flock of ravens moving from the breast line of the corset down in a spiral around the dress and edging along the outline of the long trail of the dress as it moved out on either side of the boy. Around the waistline a sash of black satin was wrapped tightly around Jack's figure revealing just how feminine like and truly slender it was. The boy was gorgeous and easily passed as a girl. His voice was soft, a bit deeper than any woman would have, but other than the sound of his gentle voice, there was nothing at all to give away the fact that Jack was actually a guy.

Ryan span a top hat out onto his fingers as Jack tapped his gloved satin black hands, the material of which stretched back up to his elbows, covering any scars of marks which may have been or not been hidden beneath bandages. "You will be the most beautiful out there, of any men or women."  
"Y-You still didn't answer me." Jack blushed brightly, turning his gaze away slightly, until Ryan curled his finger under the boy's chin and turned his gaze back up to him so they were staring into one another.  
"A couple of reasons really." Ryan grinned, his brown eyes glistening with love and amusement. "Because I was curious as to how you would look in it."

Elektra stood in the doorway, her eyes shinning with happiness and glee. She was still in her own formal attire having not joined either of the two boys in their dress up session, but she had been more than happy when Ryan had nodded towards a confused looking lady at the front who had taken them to help Jack put on the dress that Jack had brought with them all that time ago.

 _Because your sister got to have a bit of fun playing dress up with you._ Ryan thought to himself, cracking a grin as he did. _Jack must have brought that with us on our first date so that if anyone we knew came across us, he could dress up and pretend I was just out with a girl... even back then, you had a plan in place didn't you?_ Ryan thought.

"Because also, how are you going to feel when we go to comic con and you're wearing an outfit which is originally made for a woman?"  
"Oh, don't use that on me. You knew I was going to gender bend the outfit. You just wanted to pretty me up!" Jack accused, blushing brighter and brighter under Ryan's gaze, till their lips met and Ryan gently purred into the kiss, shaping his lips around Jack's and making the pale boy blush from ear to ear brightly.  
"You're already so beautiful, that it would be impossible to make you even more so. You make the dress look beautiful. Not the other way around." He whispered gently, watching Jack's eyes widen with disbelief and then glow with happiness as Ryan rested his hand against the boy's cheek and Jack sighed softly, his own gloved hand coming up to hold Ryan's in place.

Both startled slightly when Elektra cleared her throat and rose an eyebrow.

Ryan chuckled, watching an embarrassed red move through Jack's cheeks. "Shall we?" Ryan whispered softly and took Jack's gentle hand in his own, unable to stop himself from smiling as he did.

The hall that they walked into had been decorated and prepared for the event as it was New Year's Eve. It had been planned ahead of time so Ryan had struggled to get three tickets, but he had his ways. After all, there was more than one way to sheer a sheep. Plus Elektra had been able to help him, the place owed her a lot more any way, since she had helped run one of the previous events, she had been able to get in touch with the manager.

By the time they had arrived here, the drive to the outskirts of London had taken up the majority of the day and the light which was available through it. Already it was barely only a few hours into the afternoon and yet the sun was setting, but it didn't matter. That night was supposed to be cloud free which meant that the surprise Ryan had wanted to show Jack would be ready.

The hall was large with enough space to spare for the hundreds who would be there. The orchestra was already setting up and getting ready to prepare themselves. Ryan had wanted to get here early so they had been able to ensure to get the seats that they would want. But most of all, he had wanted to see the look on Jack's face as they stepped into the room.

The boy's eyes went wide with disbelief as he stared around the great amount of space. The crystal and cloud white ceiling above them glistened and shined while it's chandeliers glowed with a warm light. The great dance floor was laid with warm brown floorboards across it's giant space, a few white and gold trimmed pillars towered around them, leading to various spaces of mosaics and paintings on the white walls, or even the ceiling itself.  
"Well Princess." Ryan whispered gently, watching those blue eyes fill with wonder and disbelief of all that was around them. "I know you like fairy tales, you're now the beautiful Prince in a Cinderella dress of your own story. At your very own ball." He whispered, leaning in close next to the boy's ears, his lips faintly brushing the soft skin. "Merry late Christmas, and welcome back."  
"Oh Ryan." The boy whimpered.

Elektra and Ryan were at either of Jack's side immediately as the brunette reached up and gently brushed away a tear. "What is it? Is it not right? Is it wrong?"  
"Oh it's perfect." Jack whispered, shaking his head, unable to actually take it all in. "Oh it's just all so perfect and wonder. I'm just-"  
"Yes baby?" Ryan asked.  
"I'm just so happy right now." Jack whispered gently, turning and burying his head against Ryan's chest as the brunette held him.

Elektra gave a small smile and stepped to the side.

"Good." Ryan whispered. Holding his boyfriend as close to his heart as he could. "Because this happiness? You deserve it. You deserve it and so much more." He smiled and kissed the boy's pale cheek. "Who knows?" He asked gently. "Maybe you can use your dress again, on the day that we get married?"  
"Don't get ahead of yourself sailor." Jack chuckled quietly, smiling through his tears of joy as Ryan gently brushed them from the boy's pale cheek. "Plus,you do realize that this." He indicated to the dress. "Is so not what I'd wear at our wedding-" Jack's voice faltered and the boy coughed, blushing from ear to ear again, he coughed a few times to clear his throat and turned his embarrassed gaze away. "If we ever were to get married, that was- Or if I was to get married at all! I wouldn't wear a dress!" The boy tried to reign back his embarrassment but just got himself more flustered, while making Ryan and Elektra chuckle with amusement at how adorable he was.  
"Sure Princess." Ryan smiled. "Anything you want."

It was a couple more hours until the event finally kicked off.

The band played their slow and gentle music and couples went to and fro from the dance floor.

 _You would have thought that by now I would have gotten the hang of this!_ Ryan thought to himself.

Ryan's cheeks glowed with a blush as Jack stared back at him from his bow that he had taken when the song had started and people began pairing up. People stared after him with a deep and shocked surprise but still as Ryan looked up, he just looked at Jack. The boy's ice cold and warm golden hair, curled in it's beautiful wig form. Ryan was still staring at the boy beneath. Sure Jack may have gotten himself dressed up like a woman, but who cared?

Clothes are clothes after all.

Ryan could see some of the people around the room, more of the snobbier women or some of the more 'experienced' men who had been to an event like this before, could see that as Jack giggled quietly with happiness, they saw past the wig and the dress. To them, Jack was just some low class boy in dress up like Ryan.

Some began to snicker under their breaths and Ryan's inner fire threatened to explode out in an enraged inferno. Many backed away when they saw the ferocious fire of his anger burn through his eyes and his fingers curl tightly into a fist. Some exclaiming slightly and with a horrified nature as Ryan's pearly teeth ground together ferociously. His anger being unchained like a rabid dog.

His fingers flexed out angrily in a quiet warning and many of the arrogant idiots backed away as quickly as they had come over to stare.

Even if there were only five or so of them.

How dare they.

How dare those bastards dare talk of his Jack or stare at him like that! How dare they all speak of Jack like he was lesser in worth than them. He was worth a thousand times more than each and every single one of them!

They were absolutely nothing compared to his beautiful Jack.

He paused and nearly flinched back when he felt a head against his chest and two hands clamped around his. He could feel the soft pattern being drawn into his blazing palm. A straight line from the edge and along to the tip of his index finger, then a slow half circle around the edge.

It was what he normally did when Jack felt panic ever coming on, but this time it was something completely different. It was a quiet warning for the brunette.

Ryan slowly turned his gaze back down to the boy, staring into those deep pools of ice cold blue, which were Jack's eyes. The puppy dog eyed brunette was already completely shocked that the boy was holding onto him like this, but also holding a steady gaze. He had never dreamed that after Jack had woken up with those words that he would ever hold the boy like this again.

But here they were.

Still inseparable. After two years of the world trying to rip them apart, here they were.

Ryan reached out his other hand slowly, gulping slightly with a faint tremble in his hands as Jack held onto Ryan's outstretched hand, and still held the soft gaze between them. It was like his hand was acting on it's own accord when his finger's just brushed in line with Jack's. His body responding while forgetting he had just been about to go and crush some annoying, pesky puppets.

But at the same time it was like that voice of anger had abandoned him for the first time in many years. Like his body had cast it out behind a barrier a million miles away. Like with the beginnings of a new song slowly rising up around him, enchanting him in his gaze between him and Jack. The rest of the people dotted away and slowly blacked out like falling shadows around him. The walls of the room falling away, when Jack took a nervous gulp and step forward when Ryan's arm wound around his waist.

A slow and soft tune began to fill the air as Ryan swept them both back. His body working automatically through the steps, which he had known since Jack had first taught them to him. His hand was timid in it's grip on Jack's waist, resting on the lower of the boy's back but somehow that timid state just made him feel a bit more confident.

He only nearly missed out on his step when he saw the glistening of tears form in Jack's eyes from the music. The small smile at either side of Jack's mouth again. Both still just staring into the other.

This wasn't like their date on masquerade hill. No alcohol to hide behind. No fast paced music to have to appear to look good to. This was intimate. Pure intimacy. Being close to each other. Being two halves of something that was whole.

And Jack's smile was all that Ryan needed to make him confident and comfortable.

He craned his head forward, leaning it just so Ryan could rest his chin lightly into the tamed hair, their hold becoming almost more like a hug as they moved across the floor. Ryan only gently once moving away the tears and closing his eyes as Jack sniffled softly under his breath, his voice so low it was barely audible to Ryan's ears. In his malnourished state it was easy for Ryan to hold him anyway, it wasn't as though it was a difficulty for him, and even though he wasn't supposed to admit it out loud .

He wouldn't have had it any other way than Jack being this close to him. Just as it always had, and would be.

 _At least... from here I can make sure that no one else tries to put their stupid mitts on him._ He thought to himself, letting the sound of the music and Jack's light breathing be all that he needed as his finger's moved over the light velvet of the material. Jack's hair smelled so lightly of the perfume which danced over his skin, but not just that but of also the strange and usual sweet smells, that shouldn't have gone together but just did because it was the simple fact it was him. His skin was slightly warm under the touch as Ryan once again curled his finger under the boy's chin, moving Jack's gaze upwards.

The blond's eyes sparkled in the light as both half opened their gazes and stared into the other.

Ryan even had to smile ever so slightly as he released his hold on Jack's waist and twirled the boy out on his arm on impulse.

Jack moved with the step, spinning on the tip of his toe. His dress caught a small pocket of breeze and fluttered around him. His hair glistened in the light and as Ryan pulled him back in slowly, Jack's arms found a new position, curling gently and lacing together behind Ryan's neck as they were now chest to chest. The brunette lifted his boyfriend into the air, twirling them, keeping his balance but letting them both be lost in a show of trailing satin and the flow of their hold.

Tears were forgotten and only the embrace remained. The same embrace Ryan had kept the boy in when they had been in the bathroom, when he had remembered him. The same embrace which could say a thousand more words than any language possibly ever could. The sense of comfort that they seemed to radiate to each other was better than just about anything that the other could give.

Ryan glared over slightly as he watched Elektra turn away and slowly respond to what ever it was on her phone which had caught her attention. With the sound of the music he couldn't make out what she was saying, but to be honest, he had more interest in Jack now as he stared back down to look in the boy's eyes. The song was coming to an end and people were turning to clap and place a kiss on their partner.

Jack looked around, seemingly noticing this too and turned his gaze back up to Ryan slowly. They were still held together. Their faces but a hairs width apart. Jack's breath was sweet and cool against Ryan's. The smaller boy's cheeks faintly outlined with a rose tinge like Ryan.

For Jack it was as though the fractured sky was gone. The walls of thorns dripping blood had vanished which had haunted his mind. All that remained in this moment was the boy stood in front of him. The cold was gone from tearing into his bones, the pain for the moment had vanished with it. The taller boy, the one who held him like this. The who stared at him with such love in his eyes.

It had hurt Jack when he had seen the fire of anger trace through them.

It had hurt even more when he had seen the pain in the other's eyes.

Now holding onto that light. Staring up at the boy. Staring into those eyes. Unlacing his hand and pressing it as softly as he could against the side of Ryan's face. His eyes studied over the light, the way that the other boy seemed to glisten like the gold heart of a fire. Ryan was just that, a fire. If you got to close then you could get burnt. That's what many people thought. But to Jack, Ryan would always be the beautiful sun. The sharp angular thin face, the one which seemed so little of the time to hold a smile. With eyes so sad but they would always comfort him.

Jack's hand slowly moved down to the boy's cheek.

The whole time that they had just moved together, he had heard the boy's heart. It had been racing away like mad in his chest. It's thumping beat had been long a song to Jack itself. It had been beautiful. The warm touch of the other boy's hands, even with his gloves on, Jack had felt that warmth. The air around him had felt a little thin, his own heart going mad, but for the first time in the last few confusing days, it had been a madness he could live with. Just like when he was with this boy now, staring into those beautiful eyes with a hand on his cheek.

Ryan cleared his throat self consciously but held the gaze, his breath hitched in his chest as his cheeks were nearly glowing pink. His hand came up slowly to hold Jack's against where it now rested.

Just as the brief gap was to be closed, Jack turned his head away slowly. Resting his head on Ryan's chest while the taller boy let out a sigh and pushed for a smile, nodding his head to the nearby balcony under the blanket of the stars and guiding Jack that way, an arm gently wound around his waist.

Instead though to himself, his mind only brought up the scene as it had just happened, over and over again. Had he actually been about to just lean in and kiss Jack? Not like before. This kiss had been something new. Something completely new not just to him, but something new for Jack. As though the boy had been about to say something with it. What had been going through Jack's mind? Had his heart really just been going and beating mad the entire time that they had just danced together?

Had Jack heard his heart going that mad?

Had-

"Ryan?"

The boy came out of his thought just in time as Jack leaned in and placed a kiss on the boy's lips, so soft at first, but when his arms began to wind around the back of Ryan's neck, it became something else. Not lustful and crazed with a hunger to fill. But intimate, slow, tender, caring. Everything that both wanted to say to each other. Everything that Ryan remembered about their first date when they had kissed.

After a few minutes Jack pulled back slightly and took a shaky breath. "Best date ever." He whispered and laughed quietly, making Ryan smile with him as those blue eyes shined with pure and real happiness.

"The first of many." Ryan smiled, turning his gaze back up to the starry sky above them, staring at the diamonds of beauty but knowing for each and every single one of them.

They would never be as beautiful as his Jack.


	29. Chapter 29

**I hope all of you saw the apology I updated on the last chapter. Thanks for all of your reviews! Thanks Dark Heart 945 for your review! Thanks again to all of you who read and favorite and follow this story! Warning: Boyxboy, violence, swearing, mentions of abuse, ratings may be turned up and etc etc etc. Love you all! *Big heart***

* * *

Ryan folded his arms as he looked around the massive area which he had been waiting in for at least over an hour. The place which had otherwise been used as a grand arena was now completely empty. Sunlight shined through the faint clouds in the sky above him across everything that the mass amount of the windows allowed it to touch.

 _Ryan: I thought that by dating guys, I'd have to avoid all this waiting  
Jack: Oh sweetie, you know that you will always be waiting for me.  
_

Ryan rolled his eyes and laughed coldly. "You've got no idea." He muttered coldly under his breath. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly and he reached up, running his hand through the spray painted dark emerald hair. It had been hard enough to resist the offer when Jack had turned around and asked him if he had wanted to come to the local comic con.

It had been growing a bit difficult lately. Jack seemed to be clinging on with all his might to stay at the dumping ground, even with the numerous attempts that Mike and Christina made to try and get the boy out. But more importantly both had very much little time to themselves after the day of the ball. When Mike and May-Li had found them, the look on their faces had been enough for both boys to read clearly, that they were furious to see both of them together like that.

They had been busted.

Both had stated that they should stay away from each other for a while after that. At least until Mike, Christina and most of all, that blond bastard Thomas could cool off. But Ryan hadn't been able to keep it up, evidently neither had Jack.

But the fact is that Jack's condition of Ryan coming along would be that the Puppy dog brown eyed boy actually cosplay with him!

"I'm still not happy about this." Thomas muttered, his eyes cold and dark as they glowered at Ryan.  
"T-Thomas!" Bruce whispered.  
"I don't care. Jack can do far better than him! The men in this town, have done nothing but treat Jack like crap! He can do so much better!"  
"From the amount of time that you're spending with him, I'm surprised that you're not with him." Ryan snarled slowly adjusting his purple velvet suit.  
"Enough you two!" Elektra snapped angrily, pulling the large coat she had closer around herself as she felt more than just embarrassed in what she was wearing.

Each in their group had dressed up as part of Jack's plan.

Apparently, according to Thomas, Jack had been looking forward for this for the last month. Ever since Jack had gotten his costume finally, he had been dying to use it and come out with it.

But still he and Ryan had agreed that they would have to keep it apart that they were together. It would draw too much trouble. There was only two people that knew about the two boys being together, May-Li and Elektra. Both of whom would never tell another soul. But still it had been driving Ryan absolutely mad.

A whole month Ryan had gone without being able to take Jack, in every form and meaning of the word... and he had hated every minute of it.

But then all of a sudden out of the blue, Ryan had got a text off the boy a couple of weeks ago and-

"Well it's about time." Thomas grinned. "And here I thought that you was going to come as Alois from Blackbutler." The nasally boy laughed quietly. Then paused as something clicked. "Hang on a minute-"

Ryan turned his head slowly in the direction Thomas was looking in and felt his face exploded out in a crimson blush beneath the pale of his Joker make up.

There he was.

As they stepped out the shadows, their red and black leather clad legs crossed over one another, revealing the alluringly thin but strong toned state that they were. The symbols of black and red diamonds opposite each other were clad like a uniform over him. He wore a matching themed colour corset piece which had been adjusted for him, like the boots had been which reached up to his knees and clicked lightly, sending a faint echo bouncing of the walls around him of the entry. His pearly teeth glistened as he ran a hand through his platinum blond locks of hair, his fringe edged with the same colour of his clothes as he placed the pistols carefully back into the sheaths on his black and silver belt, behind his back.

His hands were gloved up to his elbows but fingers were left exposed as they reached up and touched the headpiece he was wearing, while he pulled on a matching black and red jacket. Around his neck was a tight fitted spike collar, while he wore matching wristbands on both wrists. His contact lens eyes glistened as the boy smirked from ear to ear, his lips a soft red, outlined with dark crimson. Their face was covered completely in white make up save for their lips and eyebrows. But what made the boy's eyes stand out so much was the midnight black outline which surrounded him on his otherwise pale face. "Well hey there Puddin." The boy smirked.  
"Jack?!"

Ryan's jaw dropped open in disbelief as he stared over the boy.

Jack's ass was outlined quite nicely if Ryan did say so himself, staring at the black and red leather, before his eyes began moving up the boy's arms to the corset piece, which fitted him perfectly and went strangely well with the boy's figure and body. "The complete outfit from Arkham Cirty." Jack chuckled in a light and soft voice. His eyes looking over to Craig for a minute. "What do you think Thomas? Do you like it?" He asked lightly. But there was no teasing in his voice, only a hope of approval glistening in his eyes as he looked at Thomas hopefully.

The blond sighed, running a hand through his hair but put on a comforting yet small smile for the boy. "I think you look amazing as Harley Quinn." Thomas said softly. "I just think that you could have been a better Alois."  
"Well what could be wrong. I have my outfit, and a Mr.J!" Jack bounced lightly on his heels before jumping over and holding onto Ryan's arms. "Aren't I right puddin!" Jack beamed then paused after a minute as there was no reply. "Uh...Puddin?"

Thomas glowered at Ryan as the brunette haired boy ran a hand through his newly sprayed emerald hair and came out with a squeaky. "Y-Yeah!"

Ryan was confused as hell. He had dressed up as asked to as The Joker. That meant he was wearing a bright orange, with black button up waist jacket under his purple suit coat. His button up shirt was the exact same colour as his waist jacket, but was adorned with a dark green bow-tie. He had highlighted his emerald eyes to make them stand out even brighter.

But the boy was blushing like mad still.

Then Ryan saw a small spark gleam through Jack's eyes as the boy suppressed a smug smile. "Batter up." He snickered and Ryan took a quick step behind him as he felt his suit trousers getting tighter. "Anyway, I don't know what you two aren't happy about! I think Bruce makes an adorable Catwoman!" Jack smirked.

Yeah, that was the other condition.

Bruce was wearing leather jeans and black platform shoes. He had a prop whip shoved through his belt. His torso was showing slightly as the black zip up leather jacket that he wore, which clung to his figure, showed how thin the boy was. His hair was spray painted black and his fingers and hands were tucked into clawed leather gloves.

Ryan guessed that Jack had picked the outfits... especially Thomas'.

Jack bounced over and quickly helped the newly ink haired boy pull on his cowl mask. His large black cape trailed out behind him, while the metal outline of his muscular armor wrapped around his body. Ryan's eyes went over every individual detail and still he knew that only one tailor he knew could be able to create something like that, and that was Jack.

Another talent that the boy seemed to have hidden from Ryan.

"So, shall we?" The blond beamed from ear to ear as the front gate opened letting in the priority booking tickets to the joys of waited beyond. Jack was almost bouncing on the spot, giggling with joy.

"Okay, okay. Calm down now." Elektra sighed, slowly pulling off her jacket and placing it to the side where it was taken off to the cloak room with the rest of the coats people owned.

Her hair had been sprayed a deep crimson, her cheeks blushed with a faint green to bring out the tones of her skin. She wore a one piece, dark emerald gloves and some knee high boots which like the one piece she wore on her torso and finished just bellow her waist, was adorned with roses and layers of satin and velvet. "I still can't believe you wanted me as Poison Ivy." She muttered, folding her arms self consciously as she glanced around. "We're gonna-"  
"Let's go! Let's go! Le-e-e-et's g-o-o-o-o!" Jack giggled.

The three boys all exchanged an amused look as Jack went cartwheeling away into the crowd and the depths which waited.

"Next time." Thomas smirked slightly, glancing over at Bruce as he wound his arm around his friend and set on the path after his surrogate little brother.

And his finally admitted secret crush.

"I'm choosing the outfits." Thomas grinned, his imagination running wild with costumes he could slip Jack into.  
"If you believe that, then it's you who should be labeled insane! Not me!" Jack called back and giggled.  
"Honestly... you all think I'm like some kind of lost dog who will just follow you all anywhere!" Ryan frowned slightly, folding his arms. "I'm not just going to drop everything and follow you all around all day just because you ask-"  
"Oh Mr.J, your phones going?"

Ryan frowned and felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

Thomas shot a questioning frown at Ryan but didn't seem to notice the glistening spark in Jack's eyes as the boy grinned from ear to ear like a Cheshire cat.

 _Jack: Play nice Puddin, and you may just be able to rev up your Harley ;) x_

Ryan's jaw dropped and he looked up slowly.

Jack's eyes were half lidded as he slowly turned, moving his arse and shaking it slightly as he swayed with every, carefully placed step. His fingers tapping lightly against the soft skin of his hips as he shot Ryan a small grin, then ran off.

"I'm coming!" He called, running after them to catch up.

Bruce rose an eyebrow and looked between them and his best friend. "D-D-Did we miss something?"  
"I've got a feeling." Thomas glowered at Ryan. "That we missed something big... and I don't like it."

For an hour they wandered around and barely even covered the smallest amount of stalls which were there and open.

Thomas made sure to stick close to Bruce and Jack the entire time. Elektra was never that far away either, her eyes always on her baby brother protectively, like a mother hawk ready to swoop in and help should the moment need it.

Whenever Jack wandered too far, Thomas and Elektra would call out the boy's name. Though with a small smile Ryan would let out a light chuckle with Bruce at the eager boy. "It's like he's a kid and it's pancake day, or he's at Disney land!" Ryan chuckled quietly.  
"Well dayumn, that's one Harley Quinn I wouldn't mind letting handle my mallet."

The smile slipped off Ryan's face as a couple of older teenagers walked past, staring at Jack as though they were ready to pounce.

"Harley!" Ryan snapped.

Jack looked up and rose an eyebrow, but smirked when he saw the other boys, before he skipped over. "Coming Mr.J!" He giggled, on the last step cartwheeling and ducking under Ryan's arm which immediately wound around Jack's waist and pulled him tightly next to him.

The guy dressed up as Deadpool glared at Ryan behind his mask. "Easy mate. I was just having a bit of fun. Don't need to get your knickers in a twist-"  
"Tell me, in a fight between the Joker and Deadpool, who won?" Ryan asked softly.  
"They never have-"  
"Wanna find out?" Ryan growled.

Jack giggled quietly, leaning back against Ryan's chest.

Ryan had grown absolutely sick of it. Finally. He had enough!

He was in freaking love with Jack. He had been all this time. Since he had clapped eyes on the golden eyed blond he had felt like he had finally found something! Something in all of his confusing bloody life! He had found someone! He had his first time with Jack!

He had brought Alex into his world of the game, only to get the boy hurt and just as they had gotten together and those words had finally come out, he had lost everything in one night. He was sick of other people taking from him what he had been in the middle of! Enough already! He had enough of people flirting with Jack! Enough was enough already! His Princes was his! Not someone else!

Not Thomas'!

Not Kings!

His!

"Cool off mate... we'll be on our way." The costumed guy frowned, slowly walking away muttering insults under his breath as he went.

Jack grinned from ear to ear as he laced both hands innocently behind his back and looked up slowly into Ryan's eyes. "You do realize that it was Bruce who is dressed as Catwoman, put those claws away sweetheart. But I do have to ask, what was all that about?" Jack glanced over for a minute to the large crowd, noticing that Thomas and Bruce were at a stall, looking through some comics. Elektra stood nearby, quite and solitary as she looked over both of them.  
"Nothing." Ryan muttered, feeling a little empty when Jack twirled away from his embrace.  
"Huh... that's a shame. I thought that if I put you in that costume, you may feel a bit more confident... instead of hiding." Jack's eyes narrowed. "But I guess, I wasted my time." With that he turned sharply on the spot and began to walk away. A frown marred his face as the boy look at the floor with disappointment obvious in his eyes.  
"Jack?" Ryan said with wide eyes, not understanding why the blond was so upset.  
"No... It's fine. Forget it." Jack shook his head.

It was another half an hour before they took a break after that.

A half hour filled with constant requests for photos, selfies and questions about how they had made their outfits... the latter wasn't so awkward. But with every new photo by someone who wanted a picture of Jack or Ryan, or as both in their couple position. It became more and more awkward for both. They would always stand a bit of a distance away from one another and when the person on the camera would ask for them to get a bit closer, they would shoot a glare which they were sure Harley and Joker would be proud of.

They were just about to sit down when Thomas wheeled around on them both and frowned. "Okay, what's going on here? You've both been acting awkward with each other all day. You both are sending such mix signals that even a dead stone could probably read you! So what happened..." Thomas slowly turned his gaze over to Ryan. "What the hell?" He glared then looked a bit softer at Jack who had folded his arms.  
"It's nothing." Ryan said then watched as Jack frowned at the floor, not saying anything but shooting him a look as cold as the winter which lingered in the air around them.  
"Jack." Bruce said softly, his twitch moving across his face as he let out a small whimper.  
"What ever." Jack snapped and stormed off, with Bruce on his heels, calling after him to see if he's okay.

Thomas towered above Ryan as the boy's cold eyes bore down into brown eye boy. His fists were curled tightly, so much so that beneath his gauntlets that his knuckles blared white against his skin. The boy's body was tense, tired, looking fed up and ready to knock Ryan out. "I've had enough of Jack being hurt by you. I've had enough of watching him get hurt."  
"And I've had enough of watching you pretend you're in happy family! He isn't your brother! He had a sister! A sister who has to watch him and pretend as though she doesn't even know him!"

Elektra turned away and just glared at both of them for a minute, calling them both idiots before running after Jack.

"It's not a game Ryan." Thomas sighed but kept up his annoyed glare as he pulled back his mask. "It's the fact that everyone in this stupid town is a backward, idiotic, imbecile who seems to set impossible boundaries for Jack. I saw it happen to him before, I'm not going to let it happen to him, especially not after what he's been through. You need to stay away from him and stay out of his life." Thomas began to turn away slowly as his eyes searched for his friend and Jack. "You wouldn't just be doing yourself a favor, you'd be doing him one too-"  
"Really? Because it didn't seem like he wanted me to go the other day when I was fucking him!" Ryan barked.

Of course, that was the moment that Jack, Elektra and Bruce had decided to return.

Jack's jaw dropped open in disbelief.

Bruce blushed brightly staring over at Jack with disbelief and jealousy.

Elektra's eyes glowed with a bloody murder.

And Thomas punched Ryan square in the face.

"AFTER EVERYTHING WE WERE TOLD! YOU DID THAT?!" Thomas snarled.  
"Alex!" Bruce squeaked.  
"God damn it, those gauntlets are made with real metal aren't they?" Ryan snarled, rubbing his jaw where it hurt like hell.  
"I swear to god, you're dead!" Thomas snarled.

But just as his fist smashed out again, Ryan ducked as a black heel pinned Thomas' fist to the wall.

The gap between the heel and the point of the shoe, made a manacle over Thomas' wrist and kept him locked in place. "Honestly, why Harley Quinn never did this, I'll never know." Jack yawned, his leg raised at it's flexible angle and yet he kept perfect balance as he focused. "Heh, I'm actually quite flexible aren't I? Maybe I should try out for gymnastics." The boy shrugged.

Elektra momentarily forgot her rage at Ryan and her eyes brimmed with happiness at the boy's words.

Jack's eyes slowly slid over to Ryan. "Nice nose bleed... you're ruining your make up. We've got no chance in the costume competition, A) If we're all going to be arguing, and B) caught bloody."

"T-Thomas?" Bruce whimpered, staring at his friend, shocked by such a sudden burst of anger.  
"You selfish bastard." Thomas snarled. "You selfish son of a bitch."  
"Oh you're both just fucking jealous and you know it." Ryan smirked, grinning from ear to ear as both of the other boys glowered at him, Thomas' eyes bore into him, while Bruce looked directly at Jack who didn't care one way or the other.  
"Enough games." Jack snapped. "I'm going to go and clean up Ryan. Then I'm going home." He looked between them both. "If I wanted fighting, I would have stayed back at the dumping ground."

With that, Jack pulled back his heeled foot and grabbed Ryan by the collar of his shirt, dragging him to the nearest bathroom.

Bruce just sighed and watched both boys go.

He slowly glanced up to Thomas who held his fist in pain but looked down at the floor sadly. "I-I k-know why you did it." Bruce said as softly as he could. "But it's Jack's life. But... Can you give him a chat about _it_? Because if his Mike finds out about this?" Bruce smiled ever so slightly, chuckling softly. "Then I think that-"

"I'm so dead." Jack whispered before shoving Ryan up against the closed bathroom door and kissing him passionately.

His hands were curled tightly into Ryan's suit jacket collar as he felt the taller boy's tongue slowly moving across his lower lip before seeking entrance. It was like fire was exploding across every nerve of his body. His head seared in pain but the pleasure moving through him was like nothing he had ever felt in his life. Ryan was like the venom and the life saving medication all at once.

He had slammed the door locked shut behind him the moment that he had gotten chance to. Some people had shot him a look but he had only smirked as he had looked at the brown eye boy. Staring at those beautiful eyes which just seemed to hypnotize him whenever he found himself looking into their depths. "So nothing am I?" He had purred. "I'll see about that."

He slammed Ryan back against the door, grinning from ear to ear with a victory as he watched the other boy left breathless.

Though he himself had to turn away for a minute as he felt a sharp searing pain in his forehead.

"Got to say... Keeping that secret about us... it was fun." He whispered gently. His eyes sparkling. "But it seems that everyone who knows about us, May-Li, Thomas, Bruce, Elektra. They all seem to disapprove or think that it's dangerous?"  
"The way that I see it." Ryan grinned. "Is that right now, it's only Harley Quinn, kissing her boyfriend."  
"Hmm..." Jack purred, placing a slow kiss on Ryan's lips. "I've got to say... I do like that perception."

Jack looked over at the door for a long minute then the large empty bathroom around them.

"Uh... Jack? What are you thinking?"  
"I'm thinking... I want some bloody fun. I want some fun, some pleasure and it only seems to be that I can get that from you." Jack's fingers moved across the boy's belt. "And since we're both in character right now..."  
"In a public place?" Ryan stared with wide eyes.  
"What am I?" Jack smirked before slamming their mouths back together. "Mr.J."  
"You're my boy friend and I love you!" Ryan whispered as Jack pulled back.

The comment hung there in the air for a long minute as Jack seemed to be staring back into the boy's eyes.

"Right answer." Jack whispered before kissing Ryan passionately and slamming him back against the door once more.


	30. Chapter 30

**A lot to thank you guys for, thanks so much for all the best wishes while I've been ill, it's meant so much to me =) Thanks for all of your reviews! Thanks for waiting for this update, I'm sorry it took so long, but regular updates will be returning. Thanks again to all of you who read and favorite and follow this story! Warning: Boyxboy, violence, swearing, mentions of abuse, ratings may be turned up and etc etc etc. Love you all!**

* * *

"Seriously... two full freaking days you've put me through this!" Elektra groaned as they walked along the long line of barriers back into the large halls for the second time that weekend. Her blue eyes were as startling as always, harsh like her half brother's, though they weren't as nearly as bright. She had got stuck for the second day in a row for that weekend in another bloody costume! But she had refused on all fronts to dress like a Disney princess. But... when Jack had got out those large adorable puppy dog eyes, she had melted and given in.

At least this one though was a little bit more bearable than the last, but that didn't mean that she wouldn't be getting him back for this.

"I swear, Jack, if you weren't performing today-"  
"Oh you know you've loved this weekend! Even a stuck in the mud, care worker like you can enjoy this, Sparky! Plus, at least he gave the original costume a last minute make over for you! "  
"Says the guy who got pulled into a couples Cosplay." Elektra smirked. "I can't see you taming any dragons."

Of course there was a small smile at the edge of her lips as she rested her hands on either side of her hips. Her golden gloves were torn around the finger tips, her blindingly bright gold dress was torn at the front to reveal her legs which were clad in leather jeans. The corset of the dress was fitted tight but she enjoyed the surprised looks that were being cast over to her. Her face was blushed with pale make up, while her eyes were accented with midnight black eyeliner and mascara... Jack was surprisingly very skilled when it came to applying it. Elektra guessed since her little brother hand the hands of a artist, she shouldn't have been so surprised.

But even so. Right now, looking over at her little brother and his, not so secret boyfriend, (who she hadn't forgiven for deflowering her innocent, beautiful Daniel), she was trying not to be too smug as she watched Ryan walk forward slowly.

The boy's face was dotted very lightly with a few freckles, while his hair fell in a mess down either of his face. He wore a long sleeve green tunic which held tightly onto his torso with a large stretching belt which wound around his abdomen tightly. He looked slightly uncomfortable to Elektra amusement in a sleeveless brown fur jacket and matching boots, while finishing his outfit off with lightly tanned trousers. It was so amusing to see Ryan dragged into the couples Cosplay, even if the only people who really knew what was going on was her and the couple themselves. "How you holding in there Hiccup." She grinned.  
"You had to buy him How To Train Your Dragon and Rise Of The Guardians, didn't you!" Ryan narrowed his eyes accusingly at her.  
"Well then, next time, don't suggest for him to watch Beauty and The Beast! Just consider yourself lucky you're not in the blue suit! Because if it wasn't me in this golden... actually quite awesome Punk Belle, then it would be him."  
"Oh..." Ryan smirked, his eyes glistening like a cat. "I think I can get him back into a dress-OW!" He shouted out at Elektra gave him a thump on the back of the head, not enough to hurt him, but enough to warn him.  
"Besides, shouldn't he be Hiccup? Out of the two of you?" Elektra muttered, folding her arms as she looked around for any signs of her little brother.  
"Well about that." Ryan frowned.  
"Day two and you're still here."

Elektra rolled her eyes and folded her arms as she turned around.

But she only had to pause and turn her head to Ryan who was spouting the same wide eyed surprised look... before both fell on their backs screaming and soon enough, shedding tears of laughter at the sight in front of them.

There stood Thomas in a soft grey and white Easter Bunny outfit. Covered and completely costumed from head to toe. A belt wrapped around his waist with two boomerangs in, but other than that, only his face was revealed in the gap of his large Bunny headpiece. His nose was painted to be like a Bunny's and even after five minutes or so, Ryan and Elektra were still rolling on the floor as Thomas stood above them with folded arms and a very multicolored Bruce stood timidly behind him.

The timid boy was layered in brightly colored feathers, bright yellows, greens, turquoise. All layered down to him showing the only bit of skin of his face and his hands. Behind him though, a large pair of wings caught the light and shined with a pearly aura. It was quite a sight to be honest, very carefully master and crafted together, but still, the awkward look across Bruce's face didn't help with either the brunette or Elektra to stop laughing.

Eventually both grabbed hold of their sides and wiped their tears of amusement away as their laughter turned into a gentle chuckle. "Ehhh, what's up Doc?" Ryan smirked at Thomas.  
"Oh! Looks like it's rabbit season!" Elektra added, making both explode back into laughter.  
"Come now you two, play nicely why don't you... and Rye-Rye. Do you not remember what we spoke about?" A gentle voice filled with a grin.

Ryan looked up slowly and let his jaw drop open. Okay, it was just not fair! Here he was looking scrawny and lanky, and there was his boyfriend! Was it impossible for Jack to ever look even remotely not hot or beautiful?!

Even so... it was still slightly a shock for Ryan and Elektra.

The barefoot pale boy walked forward slowly. The bottom of his light and dark brown pants were cut away slightly with pointed ends, while the skinny jeans were bound down even tighter to both of his calves making them look incredibly skinned but still more toned looking than Ryan had seen them lately.

Jack was wearing a light blue skin tight hoodie, the cuffs of the long sleeves, the hood, the pouch and the neckline of which was delicately painted with pure white and faint glitter silver lines which branched as carefully as any work that Ryan had seen the boy work on. It was like the most perfect fragments of a snowflake, ice cold and yet dazzlingly beautiful.  
"Jack?" Ryan stared up into the dazzling brightly blue eyes above him as the hood slowly slid back to reveal the natural pure platinum silver hair which had been hidden behind crimson and midnight black for the last few months. The boy's natural porcelain pale skin was a perfect match, but just as Ryan began to move he felt the sharp point come under his chin and slowly raise his gaze up.

Jack was... he was... He was stunningly beautiful. This was his Jack! The Jack that he had known so long ago, or well, at least what looked like him anyway. The shine of confidence in the boy's eyes. The way that he held himself, taking each step as though he had all the time in the world. The way that his pale blue orbs shines and glistened with excitement as the game of power display between both of them.

It was like the first time they had locked eyes on each other.

However now, Ryan's eyes comically crossed as he stared at the large staff replica which Jack had created, the angles all perfect in the crook, the very texture of it actually resembling wood! Shades of light and dark brown coated over one another, blending into the depths and turns of the shape in the main handle of the staff, while a cold white seemed to spread up the staff from where Jack's hands were.  
"Correct." He grinned. "Jack Frost, to be exact." He winked, and leaned forward, keeping their lips the tiniest bit of a distance apart, giving Ryan the perfect chance to see how they had been lightened ever so slightly to look just a little bit frosty. "Remember, our deal."  
 _That deal!_ Ryan groaned in his thoughts, rolling his eyes then let out a moan of frustration as he glowered at Thomas then pouted his lips out slightly as Jack as the bright blue eyed boy grinned from ear to ear. "Honestly?" The brunette muttered under his breath. "Telling me to be nice to your doting fan or I get no sex for a couple of weeks! You'd think that we're married!" Ryan smirked, watching a blushing shade creep into the pale boy's cheeks. "Is that some color I see in those porcelain cheeks? And I mean the ones on your face by the way. Because I'm pretty sure-"  
"Okay, okay!" Jack growled, his eyes glistening with his amusement though as he turned the front of his foot and spun the staff over his fingers with an experience that seemed a lot older than he himself knew of.

Only Bruce didn't understand just how much it meant earlier when Jack grinned looking at the staff. "Honestly, I'm quite good at this stuff. I wonder if in a previous life I was a dancer." He winked and let out a heart chuckle.

Ryan had to stop the sad smile slipping onto his face but just slowly rose to his feet. He brushed off the front of his costume, not wanting to get any dirt across Jack's hard work of making it. "Now we both know in this couple shipping, that it should be me as Jack Frost."  
"Oh?" Jack smirked, a teasing glisten practically glowing in his eyes.  
"Well after all, out us two in this ship." Ryan smirked, slowly walking forward as he stood above Jack his grin being turned down to him with those pale eyes widening slightly.  
 _Oh you wouldn't._ Jack narrowed his eyes.  
"After all." Ryan grinned wider.  
"After all what?" Bruce frowned, looking between the two boys.  
"Well you see sweet Brucie." Ryan's eyes glistened while Jack began to shake his head slowly his gaze narrowing.  
 _Don't you do it!_  
"It all comes down to the simple fact here that Jack here is what we term as a Bo-AGH!"

Thomas smirked as Ryan held his foot, hopping on the spot with how it stung from Jack's stamp. "Now who's hopping about?" He smirked.  
"Still you Bunny Boy!" The brunette returned with a snarl while Jack rolled his eyes.  
"I'm not wearing heels today which means it won't hurt as much, but you will both be on the floor holding your crotches after I plant my foot into them, if you both keep up this Dick measuring competition you have!" Jack growled, walking off with a shake of his head in the direction of where the music was coming from. "Besides, I'm up first with the early acts. Start behaving both of you, or don't come along at all!" He stated with a finality, then strode off, pulling his hood up, while Elektra was quickly after him.

But she made sure to stop first to give both of them a loathsome glower, the dress flaring out around her while her harsh eyes pierced into both them. Her hands were curled tightly into fists while her annoyance was as visible on her face as a thunder storm in July would be. "Do I even need to say it?" She scolded both of them.  
"Pretend to be nice-" Ryan started.  
"With each other until we're by ourselves." Thomas continued.  
"Then we can rip each other's throats out when we're by ourselves for all you care."  
"Actually, Ryan, that last part stays just for you." Elektra stated, moving her eyes across Thomas with complete distaste. "Just make sure you get your arse into gear in a few minutes. Jack's nervous enough about performing..."  
"Wait a minute..." Ryan stared wide eyed. "Jack's dancing?!"

He didn't need anything else in that moment, he didn't need to throw any insult or comment back at Thomas who was swearing loudly at him. He didn't need anything at all except to make sure that he got to the front of that stage area with Elektra. Which meant that he had no problem shoving past the various other Cosplayers in the crowd as a large crowd of them began to applaud loudly cheering.

He only managed to finally stop when Elektra grabbed him to steady him out at the front of the group of people. A large black stage was set out in front of both of them as a man stood at the front in a suit, a set of various cards in his palm as the lights from the large stand behind it, labelled in giant orange 3-D font _'MCM LONDON COMIC CON'._  
"Up first, in his rendition of 'You Found Me, by the Fray', we have Jack Frost!" The man smiled but Elektra shot Ryan an nervous look.

The brunette could feel his stomach twist in his anxious state. Was Jack actually going to go through with this?! What the hell was he thinking?! Ryan had pretty much needed to hold him up when they had both been dancing! Plus Jack wasn't that strong! He was still very fragile! Had all the medication he was on, gone to his head?! What the hell was going on in that stubborn boy's head!?

Ryan bit his lip and curled his hands tightly at his side as he watched Jack stride onto the stage, carefully crossing one leg over the over, like he was walking on a tightrope... in many ways, for himself Jack actually was.

 _Please._ Ryan pleaded inside of his head, looking over at Elektra and seeing that she was very much so having the same thoughts as him at that point. _Please, god please let him be okay!_ He thought over and over, turning his gaze slowly when Jack took his position. Even from this position, Ryan could see the faint trembles moving through his love's fingers as they curled tightly on the staff. He could hear Jack take a sharp and stuttering breath before sighing out gentle.

So it began.

Slowly the beat came on but from the immediate outgo Ryan found himself froze and staring with wide eyes as Jack cartwheeled back half a step then flipped through the air landing on his two feet perfectly, his right leg stretched out carefully in front of him.

 _"I found God, o_ _n the corner of First and Amistad._ _Where the west_ _was all but won._ _All alone s_ _moking his last cigarette._ _I said, 'Where you been?'._ _He said, 'ask anything."_ Jack made a few short bounds, stretching out his foot point and landing in it gracefully as he brought out his staff in a sweep around him, his eyes still hidden from the audience and his hair under his hood. His hands slowly came folded just in front of his chest, the staff still sparkling incredibly brightly as the strobe light moved across and hit both the glitter on the prop and then ignite Jack himself in light, the white shinning but not glistening like the faint traces of interlined glitter. It was literally almost as though as he moved across the stage in the elegant and beautiful bounds of toe to heel, it was like he was leaving a trail of silver behind him, like he was make winter chase off of his body!

As the second verse kicked in, Ryan felt his breath catch in his chest as Jack threw himself through the air, twisting himself and spinning powerfully, the silver glisten burning bright from him, making various people in the audience 'ooh' and 'awe' him.

 _"Where were you._ _When everything was falling apart?_ _All my days w_ _ere spent by the telephone t_ _hat never rang, a_ _nd all I needed was a call t_ _hat never came, t_ _o the corner of First and Amistad."_

Then finally came the point where Ryan and Jack finally locked eyes with each other. A second paused and froze for them both, just like in those first months they were together. A moment where everything became completely still, when all that was there in that locked second was both of them; Jack slowly soaring through the air, coming out of a cartwheel as the light was moving towards him.

They didn't need to use words. Words were lies for most people. A way for people to weave a web and a tale. Ryan and Jack had a bond beyond words, they didn't need them, they could read one another. They both could see their souls laid bare to one another, which was why Ryan knew that Jack was where he belonged right now. Stood here on the stage being stared at in amazement, this was where he deserved to be.

Which was why when both boy's smiled at each other, Ryan knew that Jack had chosen this song and was performing now, for him.

He had never felt more honoured and loved by Jack, and never had he felt his own love burn more intensely for the frost haired blond.

 _"Lost and insecure._ _You found me, you found me._ _Lyin' on the floor._ _Surrounded, surrounded._ _Why'd you have to wait?_ _Where were you? Where were you?_ _Just a little late._ _You found me, you found me."_

Jack slowly brought his arms up with the staff as the light hit him square on and finally the boy became what Ryan had known from day one.

Jack became a star. Blazing bright silver and glowing in moonlight all over his body as he carried on the dance and routine.

Jack never faltered once through the routine, his body sharp, moving constantly, his body so beautiful in every form that it took, he was an enveloped brightness of a silver star, wrapped in a glitter and glow of winter. He was the role, he was perfect. He was the boy that Ryan had waited over two years for without any regret. He would do it all again right now, those two years, because what the brunette was seeing directly in front of him right now. This. This boy, who was fighting for everything right now, he was owning this stage, making a message to all of those bloody pawns and pieces on the board. He was stating he was here and wouldn't be overlooked!

On the last verse though, came Ryan's own surprise as the main voice cut out and Jack slowly turned towards him, a spotlight hitting him square on in the audience. At least a hundred faces turning towards both of them out of surprise. _"Lost and insecure."_ Jack smiled reaching out his hand as he walked down the steps of the stage. This performance was being forgotten, people were shocked, listening to the light feathery tone of Jack's voice as he sung out to the one face in a hundred which was all that he saw. _"_ _You found me, you found me._ _Lyin' on the floor."_

Ryan was froze at the bottom of the steps, staring up into the smiling face of his boyfriend above him. Jack's hand outstretched to him. But the lyrics were possessing Ryan, the brunette filled with the image of Jack laid on that hospital bed as he had seen the injured boy for the first time after the attack. The beaten and black eyed boy, the heavy bruises which had lined purple across his cheeks.

It had been the smallest of seconds but it ended how it was always going to.

Ryan reached out and laced his fingers with the smiling boy above him. Swallowed into the heat and the intense silver sun which had been wrapped around originally only Jack. Now though they were completed as a blazing red light enveloped around Ryan himself, the sun and moon, that's what they were. Two halves of a whole put together. This wasn't a scene or a performance, this was them both stepping together on stage and stating a message. This was them both saying we're here. Together.

And Ryan would be a liar if he said he wasn't smiling the entire time.

 _"Surrounded, surrounded._ _Why'd you have to wait?_ _Where were you? Where were you?"_ Jack smiled from ear to ear as the message was said, between one another quietly, their eyes locked together. The blond's arms slowly wound and clasped together behind Ryan's neck, they couldn't help it. There was no audience to them. There was no Thomas glaring at them from the crowd. There was no Bruce who looked at Jack with a jealous loathing. There was no amount of time which they had been separated by. _"_ _Just a little late._ _You found me, you found me."  
_

Well. What kind of performance would it really have been if they hadn't sealed it with a kiss?

"I love you."  
"I know."

Both were still smiling from ear to ear, their foreheads rested against one another's as they were slow dancing hours later. Ryan's grin hadn't left him the entire time that they had been here. Nearly an hour and they were still going, not caring about anything else. Elektra was stood off to the side, arms crossed as she kept her eyes on them, watching both protectively. She was their loyal guard and she wouldn't let anything happen to either of them.

Ryan looked down slowly seeing the beautiful sparkle in his eye. The sound of their lips embracing filled his ears like a gentle melody. Jack was smaller, yes, but that just meant that he fit into Ryan's arms better, and having the blond smiling, pressed against his chest as they both kissed each other, not with lust hungry and animal like crazed kisses, but only soft pecks of love?

Ryan wouldn't have traded this moment for the world.

The song had been requested by Jack, Ryan had thought for a minute at first that maybe Jack had been upset by something, because he had chosen the song, Just A Dream by Nelly. But the more that he thought about it, he realized he didn't care. He just was here with the boy he loved. He was here with the one that he had given his mask, soul and heart too and he didn't care about anything else.

"I felt so alive up on that stage." Jack smiled humbly, his fingers gently brushing through Ryan's brown hair as both boy's swayed. Ryan had his arms tightly wrapped around the boy's waist, since the performance had left Jack exhausted, sure the blond had been amazing, but he still wasn't as strong as he used to be, and an incredible performance had left Jack incredibly fatigued. But that didn't matter, it just meant Ryan had more of a reason to hold him closer. "I just felt as though... I belonged up there." The blond frowned slightly, brushing his forehead with the faint ache which lingered in it.  
"You looked like it." Ryan smiled encouragingly, placing his lips on the place where the pain seemed concentrated on Jack's forehead.  
"Do you think..."  
"Without a doubt."

There it was again. That's all either of them needed to just show that there didn't need to be words between either of them. They could read each other so well. Ryan could tell that Jack wanted to get out there and dance, to perform, to be all that he wanted to be. Jack was ambitious and if he wanted to start going back to dance again, then that was just another sign that the boy Ryan used to know was still sitting beneath the surface.

The brunette reached out slowly, stroking his hand through Jack's silver blond hair. "Just promise me one thing okay?" He asked gently. "When you're a big famous star, save me a dance?"  
"Always." Jack grinned. "The first... and the last."  
"My Princess."  
"My Rye-Rye."

They didn't need to say anything else, but only hold one another as they swayed to the music and lost themselves in each other.


	31. Chapter 31

**Hi everyone! Thanks for all of your reviews Justice and Dark Heart 945! Thanks again to all of you who read and favourite and follow this story! Warning: Boyxboy, violence, swearing, mentions of abuse, ratings may be turned up and etc etc etc. Love you all! So I've made a decision today, after I've completed this story, I'm going to continue one shots on it, in AU's or whatever, if you guys want a certain AU oneshot for Ryan and Jack, just inbox me. Once again, lots of love!**

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"R-Ryan!" Jack cried out, gritting his teeth together tightly as he threw his head back and gasped. His mouth hanging open as his eyes lolled back into his head.  
"Just hold on in there a bit longer okay?" Ryan whispered gently, stroking his fingers across Jack's cheek.  
"I-It hurts!"  
"It will settle, I promise." Ryan kept his voice a soft whisper. "Just a bit longer. You're doing so well. You can take it babe."  
"I'm not sure I can-"  
"For me." The brunette purred before Jack cried out again. "Careful, you don't want me getting it everywhere-"

"Hey what the hell are you two doing?!" Thomas exclaimed as he peeked his head inside Jack's room.

Jack was laid back on Ryan's bed with his right leg raised, resting on Ryan's shoulder. His face pale, his pale blue eyes sparkling brilliantly cold. His head was thrown back though he glared still out the corner of his eyes as he was the picture of pure embarrassment in that moment.

Ryan had a fresh pair of bandages in his hand and was tightening a hold of the bandages around Jack's calf. The silver and frosty haired boy had a scowl of anger painted onto his face as Ryan was sat to the side still cleaning out a lot of the light cuts which the boy had got on his first official training session. He had a medicine spread across his fingers to deal with some of the friction burns from the amount of work he'd put in. He was delicate to clean out the cuts first, then address the sores.

Jack glared at Thomas, sitting up, his shorts and shirt were still wet from the swim he had taken earlier as part of his hospital hydrotherapy course. He looked exhausted, even now, but both boys were fully dressed... Well, relatively at least.

Jack's shorts were low on his hip bones, revealing the new toning and the 'V' lines of his elegant form, but still he kept himself covered enough that what Thomas wanted, couldn't be seen. A loose white shirt was across his body, sloping down his shoulder revealing the pale scars which marred his otherwise ravishingly beautiful torso.

Jack was laid back with his leg still raised up with his leg on Ryan's shoulder as the brunette soothed his finger along the skin still, chuckling quietly as he messaged Jack's calf. He shook his head not even caring that Thomas was there staring with wide eyes and an increasing blush. Ryan's fingers just kept working, kneading into the tense muscles to help Jack ease up later.

Ryan had a happy yet fond smile across his face and Jack looked ready to commit bloody murder. "U-Uh nothing." Thomas blushed, now shuffling his feet awkwardly. When he had heard the grunts, the outcries, the moans... it had sounded like... well he thought- "I uh- I just- Never mind, see you at dinner!" He quickly left, leaving both boys to look at each other with a raised eyebrow.

"What do you think that was about?" Jack frowned.  
"It's Thomas." Ryan laughed, tying the bandages in a bow, making sure that it was elegant and precise, though he couldn't stop the edge of a smile as he was watching Jack blush, though Ryan didn't mention anything, he knew that the other liked to look nice, even if he didn't like to admit it. Jack loved the softer side of himself, even if he made sure with all his might to hide it. Ryan was the only one who seemed to be able to reach it.

"I learnt a long time ago not to question half the things Thomas does." Ryan grinned, placing a kiss over the bandages and then turning his attention back to Jack, slowly pushing his lips against the bandages, he could feel the blond's eyes on him as his lips gentle suckled against the soft, satin skin, making Jack turn pink with a blush. Ryan's lips delicately took each kiss as though it was the most rewarding thing he could be given, like he was a servant, bowing to his master with each kiss as it moved further and further up the pale legs, until he passionately took the other boy's mouth and writhed their tongues together.

For a long moment both were silent, enjoying the love and the feeling of just being by the other. "You made it babe, you did it. We just need to find a studio now that will take you." Ryan whispered, placing his hand on Jack's cheek, resting their foreheads against one another's and closing their eyes. "You actually did it babe. You can do it. We just need to find a studio and hope they'll take you."  
"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Jack teased, smiling as he lent back onto the pillow and felt Ryan's arms close around him.  
"Oh bloody shut up." Ryan smiled, kissing him again slowly one more time then bring something out of his pocket to Jack's attention.  
"What's that?" The blond frowned slightly.

Ryan paused and turned his gaze down to the golden locket in his palm. The brunette's eyes becoming sad for a moment. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to- never mind... here."

The silver head blond almost blushed as brightly as neon pink, when his eyes locked onto the silver clasped leather necklace and the wooden carved name of the boy he was in love with... hang on, it wasn't just Ryan's name.

He only blushed brighter when along the side of the leather necklace he noticed carved into the material was: _Jyan_ _._ Then along the side in smaller elegant font was, _Ryan._  
The way that it labelled him as Ryan's! Completely.

He'd be a liar if he said that it didn't get his blood pumping.

"O-Oh, wow." Jack blushed, lost for words, but Ryan blushed himself, instantly worried that it was too much.  
"You don't have to say anything, right yet! I understand you just got a lot of stuff on your mind, and I know that we've only literally just... came out that we're together, but- I was worried that you wouldn't." He held the necklace in his hand, avoiding Jack's gaze. "I've been in this position before-"  
"Yes."

Jack's gaze snapped up as he looked at Jack who had a sly smile at the edge of his mouth. "Yes, a thousand times yes and then a thousand more." He whispered softly.  
"Really?"  
"On one condition." Jack whispered softly, leaning his neck forward.  
"Anything!"  
"Just remember this moment, this promise." Jack smiled, then watched as a lone tear streaked down Ryan's cheek. The brunette... crying? Jack had never seen the boy cry before. But it was the worst thing that he had ever felt. It was like a violent twist in his gut, wrenching through him. It was a pain that was worse than anything else that he had felt since he had woken up.

He couldn't stop himself as he reached out, brushing his index finger across the boy's cheek. "What's wrong?" Jack asked gently, pulling his arms tighter around Ryan's waist as he sat up.  
"I-It's just." The brunette shook his head. "I've been here before. I loved someone before. I thought that I'd lost him before I finally got to tell him that I love him, I thought that he was dead and-"

Ryan paused, taking a slight breath, slowly turning his eyes up to the silver blond who lent in, straddling his boyfriend as his lips pressed gently to Ryan's. "Tell me." Jack said so softly that it was nearly missed on the ears the brunette.

He knew though it was an impossible task to tell him. How could he tell Jack that the person he had lost, was sat directly in front of him? It was still hard for Ryan, to stare into the eyes of a boy who was still just becoming to come around. They had both finally said the words to each other that had been desperate to break out from their masks. From Jack in the spotlight to Ryan of the shadows.

"I don't want to replace who it was who had your heart before me." Jack said gently, brushing his finger through Ryan's locks with love and affection. His pale finger tips so delicate that they danced his boyfriend's nerves. Ryan's deep eyes, laid bare from their mask gazed so deeply to Jack. "I will not question into the part of your life which I do not belong."  
 _You are that part of my life._ Ryan thought.  
"But just know, I love you. My life, my heart, it belongs to you... oh and by the way?" A smirk soon began to move across his lips as his eyes sparkled. "This necklace reminds me a hell of a lot of a collar."

Ryan blush exploded across his cheeks.

Jack ran a hand through his hair, letting the spikes of silver stand up proud and tall as they caught in the faint breeze of the open window. "Give us a hand then... and not in the way that Thomas thought of us." He chuckled quietly with Ryan while the brunette slowly and with delicate care placed the choker style necklace around Jack's pale neck. The boy tilted his head slightly then leaned his back against Ryan's chest, bringing his fingers up to trace the material, the spikes of silver, the delicate tracing of their joined names, carved in wood, even Ryan's name sewn in sparkling silver.

"Hang on... so I'm the one stuck with this?" He teased gently, tilting his head back as far as he could so he could look up to the beautiful face of his boyfriend above him.  
"Oh Princess, you're right... I should have gotten you a tiara as well."

Jack pouted his lips but only giggled when Ryan pecked them, then brought back a prolonged kiss.

 _KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK_

"Oh for god's sake!" Ryan growled, turning his gaze to the open doorway where Thomas stood.

Immediately Ryan tensed. There had been a lot of times that he had seen Thomas angry, mostly whenever Ryan was with Jack. He had seen Thomas break down in hospital when there had been the one occasion they had nearly lost Jack on his life support.

He had never however, seen the golden blond scared.

Right now, he looked terrified.

And anything that could terrify Thomas... didn't bode well for Ryan's nerves.

"Thomas." He said cautiously and quietly. His eyes beginning to narrow, as he watched the way that Thomas was moving with with unease. He shuffled his feet, his eyes full with a anxious nature. He seemed anything but sturdy... His eyes were speckled with guilt. "What the hell have you done." Ryan snarled, moving forward sharply, only to be stopped as Jack dived in front of him grabbing his wrist and placing his pale hand on Ryan's chest.

Those blue eyes were steeled over but the worry in them still shined faintly.

"I'm sorry... I made a mistake! I just-I didn't... I don't know why I did it." Thomas looked up slowly. "She..."

Jack felt the immediate tense power explode across Ryan's chest as the boy tensed. Those dark brown eyes flaring wide, his lips pulled back to show his gritted teeth. The blond had never seen such a dark rage explode through Ryan, at least, not this clearly before. "Ryan?"  
"Jack get out the way and stay in here..." Ryan glanced down at him slowly, his eyes stained with a anger so deep it could have carved a fissure in the ocean. It was like a loaded weapon.

Had Jack been up to his old self then he would have been able to understand just the true depth of what was going on inside Ryan's mind.

"Don't open that door for anything. Understand me?" Ryan stated, looking at him with cautiously, taking a step around Jack and lunging forward as his hand curled tightly around Thomas' throat, slamming the golden blond against the wall, while his eyes bore into him.  
"Ryan!" Jack hissed, lunging forward and grabbing the taller boy's arms.  
"Why did you do it! Was you really that small! That petty!"  
"I did what I did to get my Rose back!" Thomas hissed, keeping his voice low for only Ryan, although Jack seemed to feel the tension rising like a tsunami wave. "I just... I screwed up-"  
"You idiot!" Ryan barked, slamming Thomas' head back against the wall once, then letting the blond slump to the floor. "You went to the person who caused all this!" He snarled, with such a vicious intent that even his silver blond, flinched back, slightly afraid of the tone.

He only stopped when Jack's hands rested on either side of his face and those blue eyes stared up to Ryan, looking so deep into his soul that even in his anger, he had no choice but to feel Jack's presence once again. Ryan could feel the boy's fingers trembling against him. He could feel the anxious nature blossom in the beautiful hearted boy. His princess. His sleeping beauty. His silver blond angel, come to collect him in his shadow of anger. Even while Jack was slightly scared, the boy fought to come and help him.

How appropriate...

As usual, Jack was there helping Ryan, when the brunette could barely give enough in return.

"Ryan?" Jack whispered softly, his fingers stroking the boy's flushed cheeks. Gently roaming over the tense muscles and trying to ease away the hooks and claims of anger. What was going on? What could have set Ryan off like this? What could have had the brunette so furious and anxious... what could have had Thomas so scared, so full of fear?  
"I told you. Stay in here. Don't eavesdrop." He emphasised the last part, reaching up and gripping Jack's hands in his own. "Trust me now... I have to go and talk to someone..."  
"But who." Jack whispered, his voice taking heed of Ryan's words. The boy's eyes were narrowed and the blond shook his head, as in the dark as his memories were. "Who could cause you such fear and anger?" Jack frowned.  
"And old friend..."

Ryan looked slowly back over to Thomas on the floor, with complete loathing now.

His once soft brown eyes, now armed themselves like a knight going to face up against a dragon.

He placed a soft kiss on Jack's brow before he turned towards the door and strode out, casting a protective look to the boy he loved.

No... not a dragon.

He was going to face a certain named goddess.

Thomas had called the one bitch who could destroy everything he had in seconds.

 _No. Not this time._ He thought. _This time... It's war bitch._


	32. Chapter 32

**Hi everyone! Thanks for all of your reviews CharlieSMarts12 and Dark Heart 945! Thanks again to all of you who read and favourite and follow this story! Warning: Boyxboy, violence, swearing, mentions of abuse, ratings may be turned up and etc etc etc. Love you all!**

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"J-JACK!" Thomas gasped as he was slammed back against the wall violently by the silver blond boy, having those piercing blue eyes stab into him far deeper than any knife ever had. Thomas felt fear. Pure unrivalled fear rushing through his blood like a venomous drug. His heart was racing, racing so hard in that moment that he was terrified it was going to give out.

Jack was stood there above him with a look so dark, so cold...

Thomas remembered now why so many people had been so terrified of Jack in their old family. It was because of this look. The look on his face now which was unrivalled in it's state of fury but restrained still behind the beauty of eyes which looked like living ice. Jack's pearly teeth were ground together as his fingers tightened further around Thomas' throat. The air was slipping out of his lungs faster and faster. His frantic heart screaming for oxygen more and more desperately, his vision growing more and more disorted. Blurring violently and swirling.

Jack's face of pure and unadulterated black rag was becoming the last thing he was seeing. He could feel his wind pipes getting crushed. Jack was going to kill him!  
"Jack!" A voice barked.  
"You. My happily ever after... You're crushing it." He growled in a voice that Thomas knew better than his own.  
"Sirena?!" Thomas gasped, seeing the dark and blood lustful glare in his gaze.  
"JACK!"

Jack screamed out as he was tackled violently to the ground. The boy screamed out but had a hand slammed over his mouth as he had his hands wrestled to the floor behind his head.

Thomas was on the floor, wheezing pathetically, trying all but not to scream for the air as he heaved in great gulps of oxygen. His sights blurring, his throat screaming in pain as he held the damaged area. Oh god... Jack had actually been about to- no. That hadn't been Jack. Those eyes had been so full of dark blood lust, so full of pure hatred and anger.

Jack screamed and even bit down violently into the hand that covered his mouth as he thrashed back and forth on the floor, but the woman on top of him didn't move, only biting her lip and trying her best to coo to him gently. "Jack, come on! It's okay, calm down! You're safe! No one is here to hurt you!" She said over and over again, her voice hoarse with pain as the boy sunk his teeth in deeper, but the woman just bit into her lip, closing her startling cold blue eyes.

Elektra.

She was in some black jeans with a blue jacket and a white shirt, just like her old days while she had still been living here in the dumping ground. But now her entire focus was on her little brother who heaved and writhed on the floor.

Thomas had never been so happy in his entire life to see the woman.

His throat was screaming still in agony while Jack roared into Elektra's palm, slamming himself slower and not thrashing as violently but instead trying to claw at his arms. Elektra just remained in her crouch above him, keeping his arms and hands pinned behind him so he had no chance at hurting himself. "Easy now." She whispered gently, over and over again. "That's it." She whispered as his furious cries became pitiful whimpers.

The moment Thomas began to move though, those blue eyes locked on him, their pupil dilating violently. Elektra's arm flew out holding her hand up to him, her eyes sin a strict and unrestrained warning to him. _'Stay there. If you move, I'll be the one to kill you!'_

Thomas dared not to disobey the warning in that moment but only remain as still as a rock. His breath held tightly in his chest till his eyes watered. Jack's eyes were locked on him with such an anger... something so wild that Thomas finally began to understand the extent of the beast which resided within him.

His attention was brought back though when Jack threw back his head and screamed out in agony, his hands breaking free of Elektra's grasp as they flew to the agony in his forehead. The hot wedge of pain driving through him without mercy. Elektra's arms were around him in an instance, holding Jacks head against her shoulder as he wept with pain.

Thomas was still half laid there on his side, propped up on elbow. He was trying to understand the last few minutes, the moment Ryan had gone out of the door, Jack had just turned away, holding his head in pain, stumbling slightly in his steps. He had looked as though he had been about to rip his hair out. Thomas had tried to stand up to ask him if he had been okay.

Then it just happened so suddenly.

That look though in Jack's eyes... had that been the split personality that he had been fighting off everyday? Thomas had doubted it at first when the idea had been put forward that the split personality was actual aspects of the boy... but seeing that then. Seeing the way those dark eyes had looked at him with absolute loathing. Those eyes had been worn by Sirena. It was that simple. They had been the eyes of the weapon forged by Persephone. He had been about to kill Thomas, his eyes had been so cold and dark... so vicious.

Was that what Sirena had been like when Thomas had lost him?

Is that what had become of him?

"I warned you." Elektra whispered gently, as she rocked her crying half brother who was too lost in that moment of weeping to think about anything or notice anything else but the pain which slithered and burnt through his head in agony. He just sat there crying into the girl's shoulder while Elektra held her wounded hand. Her jacket being smeared by Jack's now bloody mouth.

Her eyes were so sad as she just rocked Jack, soothing him softly with her gentle coos. Her eyes locked onto his back as she ran her hand soothingly down it, feeling his spine against his skin and making her grimace. She stayed silent with him till Jack finally cried himself to sleep. It was only then that Elektra reached up with her good hand to wipe away the tears which had been forming. She kept her eyes on Jack's pale face the entire time that she rocked him and held him in his sleep. Her voice was tired and her eyes old in that moment. "Split personality isn't a simple condition to deal with. Jack's condition is volatile and for all that you hate of it Thomas." She said the golden Blond's name like an insult. "You will never be the one who will ever be able to help him. You cannot reach him like Ryan."  
"Ryan is just a boy!" Thomas snapped.  
"No Thomas." Elektra stated with a blunt and cold tone, her eyes snapped to the edge of her gaze as she bore her look into him like a wild beast charging with armed tusks. " _You_." She stated with a twisting and malicious voice. "Are just a boy. If you were a song in Jack's life, you'd be _Somebody that he used to know._ " Her voice was a snarl now as it hit him like a punch.  
"As are you! The oh so caring sister. At least he knows me as someone! You're forgotten by him! You're no one to him Elektra!"  
"You're so jealous of Ryan... that you can't even stand it yourself." She shook her head in disbelief. "From the start I knew what your game was. No one ever has a relationship like you and Jack did then comes back and just wants to be friends. From day one you waited patiently. You thought that Jack would wake up and you would have your chance to slowly slide back in. But you got the next best thing! After two years of catching up on all that you had missed, finding out all you could from Ryan, who was so desperate for a friend in that time that he barely even recognised your deceitful little ass." She shook her head glowering him up and down. "You were such a good liar because you believed it yourself. You actually believed that you were friends. Though the day that Jack woke up, it was every man for himself right?"  
"Fuck you." Thomas glared.  
"And now, you can't stand it can you? You just can't take it that no matter what. Jack will always and only ever be in love with Ryan. The longer that we all keep them apart, the more damage that we will be doing to him!" She slowly turned her head back down to her brother and away the seething blond boy. "I thought for so long the same. I thought that a new start would be what would give him what he needed. But instead look what it's done." She whispered. "It's brought that defiant mind of his to crack. He's literally at war with himself."  
"He looked at me like Sirena would." Thomas admitted through gritted teeth. His thoughts haunted by those cold blue eyes staring up at him as Jack's hand had been closing tighter around his throat.  
"So his split personality is manifesting itself as-"  
"As the gaps in his memories. The different people he's identified himself as. Rose. Daniel. Sirena." Elektra sighed, rubbing her own forehead where a headache was forming. "But he can't sustain it. He won't even remember that he even did this." She said gently, stroking her fingers delicately across her brother's forehead and brushing back a lock of his hair.  
"Well you know what. If I'm a song for him." Thomas growled, slowly dragging himself to his feet as he moved away from the wall. "Then here's what you. Here's what song you are, you miserable-"

He fell and staggered back clutching his face and screaming as Ryan stood in the open doorway after having slammed it open and into the blond's face. "Oops I did it again." He rolled his eyes, folding his arms and kicking out at the door again, hitting Thomas once more before sending the boy crashing to the floor. "And now you're Hit me baby one more time." He rolled his eyes before walking forward and slowly crouching next to his boyfriend, lifting him up slowly and setting him down carefully on the bed as he placed his lips on Jack's forehead.

The brunette smiled a little sadly as he looked over at Elektra's hand, his own creeping to his shoulder where he still had the scar of teeth marks from all those years ago. "It stings like hell for a while at first, but don't worry, it passes eventually." He placed his lips carefully back down to Jack's brow once again as the boy whimpered slightly, his eyes slowly blinking open.

Almost as though he had simply felt Ryan's presence next to his.

"R-Ryan?" Jack frowned, holding his head in it's agonising ache, but the boy just gasped and sighed softly as Ryan lifted him up bridal style and the boy's head lolled against his boyfriend's chest.  
"Don't worry Princess." The brunette whispered softly. "I've got you. Everything will be okay."

Elektra knew that was her point to leave now, so with a small smile at Ryan who gave her a small but tired nod, she grabbed Thomas by the collar of his shirt where the boy was still on the floor holding his bleeding nose. "You broke my nose!" The boy snarled.  
"You're lucky it wasn't your neck." Elektra said casually before throwing him out the door and then smiling at Ryan and Jack behind her. "Look after him Ryan." She whispered softly, closing the door quietly behind her.

 _Always and forever._ Ryan thought then just moved Jack in his arms so that the boy could cuddled closer and hold on a bit more securely. The pillows behind their heads were soft enough but Ryan just lent on the headboard staring over at the television on his dresser and the dvd player. He grinned slightly to himself as the screen flickered to life and the film came on.

Jack's eyes flickered half open and the boy yawned, that soft voice that Ryan could listen to all day began it's beautiful singing. _"_ _What would I give t_ _o live where you are?_ _What would I pay t_ _o stay here beside you?_ _What would I do to see you s_ _miling at me?"_ Jack's voice was dotted a little with sleep, but the boy regained control more quickly with every second. " _Where would we walk?_ _Where would we run?_ _If we could stay all day in the sun?_ _Just you and me, a_ _nd I could be, p_ _art of your world."_

Jack had been binge watching Disney films lately, saying that he was already planning his and Ryan's next costume cosplay. Ryan however knew the truth about it, he knew that Jack loved the magic of it... well, the magic of the Evil Queen, Maleficent and Ursula maybe. But when it came to Disney Jack was certainly a fan it seemed. Ryan never teased him on it though, he loved Jack's love of it.

 _"I don't know when,_ _I don't know how, b_ _ut I know something's starting right now."_ Jack's voicee moved so ently along the notes that Ryan just found himself smiling so brightly as he watched his boyfriend's beautiful talent take flight in his ears. _"_ _Watch and you'll see._ _Some day I'll be._ _Part of your world."_

 _You won't be part of my world._ Ryan thought smiling as Jack rested his head onto his boyfriend's chest. _You are my world._ Ryan thought and placed a light kiss down onto the boy's cheek. "You must have sure been tired, honestly."  
"Y-Yeah." Jack nodded with a small frown, his eyes still puffy and red from when he had been crying earlier. "I must really be tired, I don't even remember going back to bed."  
"Apparently you went to go have a shower... and without me?" Ryan teased, watching his boyfriend's face explode in bright red. "But she said she heard you stumble. Did you hurt yourself?"  
"I don't remember." Jack admitted quietly. "Last thing I remember is..." The boy frowned and sighed as his headache clawed at him persistently.  
"Take it easy babe."  
"You look tired?" Jack frowned, turning his gaze up to the boy. His hand reaching out and resting on Ryan's cheek to turn his gaze towards him. "Did someone upset you?"  
"On the contrary." Ryan shook his head. "I just had to deal with someone... And old... acquaintance." He said the word so sourly that Jack just sighed and placed a kiss lightly to the boy's lips, feeling Ryan's hands wind around his waist. "Hey, it's just, me, you... and a Disney box set now." His blue eyes sparkled so brightly that Ryan couldn't help but laugh at simply how adorable his boyfriend was.

He fell into silence for a bit after that, watching the television with Jack as Ariel was turned into a human but lost her voice. Ryan could see Jack imagining himself as her, whether it would work for a Cosplay. Personally he still wanted to go to a comic con without dressing up, but he couldn't say no to his Princess.

"We're good together right?"

Jack's eyes from where he had been dropping off to sleep again burst wide open, before the boy slowly turned his head up. "Excuse me?"  
"You're happy... right?" Ryan asked gently.  
"No." Jack shook his head.

Ryan's gaze slowly turned down before he felt a pair of lips on his own and saw Jack's deadly serious eyes locked with his own as the blue eyed boy moved to straddle him so he was sat on Ryan's lap. His eyes cautious as he looked down, tilting his head slightly. "I'm not happy. I'm elated. I'm so amazing that I never thought I could feel like this. I thought that I would have nothing. I thought that I would have killed myself barely a couple of weeks after waking up." Jack's voice was soft but factual. Ryan knew the blond wasn't saying it for the woe onto him factor but simply because of the truth of it. Jack wasn't one for pity, it only brought out the rage in him when people pitied him. He spoke for the factual point and nothing else. "So listen up you idiot? Okay." He stated with a small smile at the edge of his lips to let Ryan know that he wasn't saying it out of malice. "I love you, Eric." He whispered, leaning forward on the boy's chest and kissing Ryan's jaw before he was closed in his embrace.  
"I love you too Ariel." Ryan chuckled, playing along with the boy's Disney love.

But his mind was still too caught up in that moment to think of anything else than what had just happened down stairs.


	33. Chapter 33

**Hi everyone! Thanks for all of your reviews CharlieSMarts12, Justice237 and Dark Heart 945! Thanks again to all of you who read and favourite and follow this story! Warning: Boyxboy, violence, swearing, mentions of abuse, ratings may be turned up and etc etc etc. Sorry for the late update, but I've just found out I will be having surgery in two days... must admit, I'm terrified. I don't know when that means I can update again, hopefully my recovery won't take long.**

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"We're on a cruise. One of the best cruise that money can buy." A voice growled dominantly above the sound of the sea breeze which roared in across the freshly laid floorboards of the deck. "And you want... to go back to your room?"

In the pale evening light of the top deck observation platform, three lone figures stood, rigid and all tensed with each other. The tension around them was easy even at a first glance; a man dressed in a suit with close cut brown hair, his body wrapped in an expensive suit which almost cost as much as the cruise itself! A black jacket suit which matched the coldness of his eyes. He held a glistening fresh glass of champagne in his hand and held his body language as though time and the world itself bowed down and belonged to him.

The woman next to him kept a cold sneer along her rouge lips. Her red dress flowed out behind her, catching on the breeze and blowing with it like a dance in the light. Small jewels in the materials made the light radiate around her all the more. Her curls of golden locks fell and rose like her dress as with her stunning beauty she turned her snob like look onto her own child, albeit that she profusely refused the fact that anything like him could have at all come from someone like her. With eyes as emerald as the sea, she seemed to find herself such an winter beauty. So harsh and cold, like a rose; petals and thorns. Though she knew how beautiful she was, and that had given way to her ego a long time ago.

Last among the three was the least suspecting and most surprising sight of all of the three, at least, only if the first two were anything to go by for expectations.

A middle height and hard eye boy. His fierce orbs of eyes glittering in the moonlight as the intense and harshly cold colour of his eyes which dripped like freshly laid ice, was rather strange to compare to that of his silver blond hair which shined as though the moon itself had kissed it and bathed it deeply.

The kid was small at first sight but only if you didn't notice the way he was deceptively built. Not well toned but still lean and smooth. Like that of a dancer or a swimmer.

He wore a simple plain white t-shirt and a black jacket with matching finger-less midnight black gloves which stretched up to his elbows. The sleeves of his jacket were rolled back. Like his matched ensemble of white and black, he wore a black studded belt through his matching dark leather jeans. His shoes were simple but elegant with a slight raise on the back to give him a small ounce of extra height.

His gaze was hardened and pointed like a blade as his strange ice cold eyes bore into his mother and father. His fingers flexed out erratically as the anger churned from deep within his core and along him like a raging fire. "As if you weren't a common enough piece. How do we explain to the other families?" His father exclaimed, resting back against the side barrier, the sea painted dark like ink behind him.

He had earned the name Jack Frost among many of his peers.

The words were on the tip of his tongue. Nothing but a small push away; Tell them that you both are nothing but the real scum. That your son wishes he could kill you as easily as he could kill others on games.

The words tasted great on his tongue. Delicious. He could feel them slipping out, fighting against his self restraint.

Finally, after years of abuse. The beatings. The humiliation. Living with the knowledge that he was nothing. His life meant nothing. That his worth was nothing. It could be broken by these few seconds!

The boy however just turned away as he did with most of his problems, and began the slow walk back towards his cabin. His gaze not moving to look over his shoulder where his parents just stared at him as though he was the biggest waste of space on this earth.

But then again, they had told him that enough times now that he believed it.

He contemplated that as he moved along the deck of the boat, looking for the grand staircase to go and duck back into his room wherever he could.

How pathetic was he? The son of a wealthy father who ran and owned most business companies this side of the English channel. The British boy who was often in the newspapers, more often than none having a camera shoved near his face to try and get a photo of him.

Just because of his mother and father.

Yeah, and as if that wasn't enough pressure, then his mother; the woman who loathed him more than she loathed having commoners around her, (and that went to say something).

The only reason he wasn't ripped out before birth was simply the reason that his mother didn't want the story thrown in with her reputation.

They told him that he should consider the fact that he is breathing a lucky fact, a fact also that he owed them so he should stop being a constant let down.

He gritted his teeth and threw his arms behind his head, his elbows pointing to the stars above. _Yeah, I consider myself really lucky. I'm alone. I spend all my time alone. I'm a mistake, admitted to by my parents, I'm a monster. Nothing else but that... the fact that I have nothing that holds me back from knowing that? It's why I'm so good at being one._

His eyes full of their own river of hatred all but screamed the agony of the prison that they were trapped in. That he was trapped and he had no idea of where he was going to go. He thought about all the times his mother had just cast him a bored and exasperated expression and asked with the most exhausted of tones which screamed how much she didn't care; _'Are you all caught up with your studies?'_

 _No but I'm caught up with just how fed up I am._ He thought coldly with a bitter glare as the clouds outside seemed to be rolling in faster and faster.

It was almost painful for him to begin to imagine himself as he threw his body onto the nearby large oak post bed before he rolled off it and let his body hit onto the cold harsh floor. His hand frantically snatched out under the bed and the hidden cases which he had brought with him till he found what he so desperately sought in the growing moment of solitude.

So for another hour after he had threw himself into the darkness of his mind, he found himself growing to study all that was going on around him.

Not a sound stirred except the faint dripping and fall of rain across the windows outside hitting the window pane of his his room. The moon was now hidden behind a blanket of dark clouds while the wind battered against his numbing bones.

From the illumination of a flickering and dying candle a bolt of lightning lit the room alight in shadows.

The faint light caught a sparkle in mid drip as a tear fell from a pale cheek to the rouge quilt beneath the huddled boy.

He had his arms wrapped tightly around a large blue teddy bear, staring down at the blanket beneath them through tear filled eyes in the darkness, his eyes gently traced the cursive writing of the name label against the blue fur of the bear; _'Charlie'_.

The boy's hair fell covering their right eye but the light was just small enough to illuminate the fierce azure, turquoise eye as they blinked free another tear from their lashes.

Pulling the bear closer to himself the boy let no sob sound from him, but only tossed away the mask he had been wearing for the sake of others as he pushed himself onto the floor, watching the candle flicker from under his moonlight soaked hair.

His eye momentarily cast itself upon old images of smiles, of memories real or not. He was unsure. But even in his thin frame he pushed himself into the corner of the room, keeping only the small blue bear with him as the rain smashed through the open window.

The boy could only feel his vision decimated before him as the cold crept colder through his arms, his leg, through his face. The winter so intense that it left him empty. His chest heaved though he bit back all sounds of what was truly going through him. He had to. He couldn't let them see.

The lightning flashed a final time with a roar of thunder and a limp hand fell at a corpse like still side while a pale face turned up towards the storm clouds, hoping to almost see one sliver of light in the otherwise black world outside.

But the only sparkle of light came from a falling tear as the wind blew out the candle resting nearby.

His breath hitched and he could no longer take it as the built sob came out in a broken cry, his head falling down to his knee as his bear became tied tighter in his arms. The shuddering of his body the only feeling he had left that he was alive any more. The bitter sting of winter the only sensation that he was still awake.

The shadows pulling him down to their depths, deeper and deeper.

He guessed now he knew why drowning was the worst death.

"Jack?"

The blond and blue eyed boy gasped curling up on the bed and finding himself screaming as he writhed on the quilt and blankets. His body trembling painfully as his head roared with a fire of pain. A thin cold sweat had broke out across the skin of his bare body, his hands were pulled in tightly to his chest, his breath stuttering painfully as his heart roared, speeding wildly.

"Jack!" Ryan called out again, quickly moving forward so he was crouched in front of Jack, the brunette's fingers moving back the intense silver and ice cold hair. "Jack, it's me." He whispered over and over but Jack was barely hearing him. His mind was a churn of pain and burning images which felt as though they were being branded into his brain, only to be swept away in a wave of fire, just as quickly as they seemed to have been crushed in.

It felt as though he was a doll being ripped apart at the seams and being pulled in four different directions. What was happening? What was going on with him! Why was this happening?!

it was getting dark as the pain swept faster and faster through him. It felt like something was calling out to him. The black gap, the burning harsh cold, it was calling to him from his mind. Just like it had before in his nightmare that felt all so long ago. About the boy in the ice lake calling to him... it felt like that now. That those chains of ice were in his palms, that they were stabbed through and into his bones, pulling him back.

He was screaming, fighting, trying to break away from it, but the pain was so bad, he was getting weaker! God it hurt, god the pain was horrific.

he was slipping away.

He was falling further and further.

The light, it was failing him, the darkness was cool now, welcoming him. It promised relief of pain. It promised that it would all just stop. He would be free of the chains, there would be no more-

 _Ryan._

With a strong gasp he felt himself lunge forward, the water hitting his face with a full pelt like that of a rain fall storm. Sob exploded from him as he coughed, gasping deeply for breath, the soft light around him of his own bathroom at home.

The one word. The one name which could pull him back from even the darkness.

He was sat up in the bathtub hunched forward, coughing as Ryan pulled his fingers through Jack's hair, helping the boy, trying to soothe him now as the boy flailed slightly, turning his head against the water as the blond spluttered, dragging in air heavily through his lungs. The boy's eyes looked exhausted, like they were glass orbs instead of the eyes that belonged to a human.

He was sat in-between Ryan's legs as the taller boy held onto him, whispering words to calm him down and that he was okay. Jack stared around blankly for a long moment, trying to regain his sense. His head felt pained and his heart heavily laboured. His mouth was wrapped with a disgusting metallic taste. He barely realised the nose bleed from the intense strain and stress on his body had caused two thin crimson streams to snake free down to his mouth and face. It was washed away now as both sat in the bathtub while the overhead shower washed away the deep crimson from Jack's pale and porcelain skin.

Ryan rested his chin on Jack's shoulder, pushing lightly on the boy's chest over his heart as his fingers stroked a rhythm back into it, steadying it, making sure that it couldn't give out again. "You're here. You're okay." Ryan whispered in his ear while the smaller only hung limply forward from his arms, still coming back to consciousness and sense.

Jack could feel both of Ryan's arms, wound tightly around his chest, pulling Jack's head gently back to the sound which the boy was anchored on in this life. The rhythmic music of Ryan's heart as it called out in his ribcage. It was racing, much faster than Jack's own which seemed to be coming back into a laboured rhythm. It's recovering state bringing more sense back to him as Jack looked around slowly, trying to understand what was going on, but only the feel of Ryan's sleek and bare skin was comforting to him as his eyes closed again.  
"Jack-"  
"I-I'm awake." He whispered in a weak whimper. his breathing stuttering slightly but the cool water was sending a jolting shock through him. It's coolness bringing some sense as it pelted his feverish skin. "L-Listening."

Ryan's arm wound more securely and tightly around the boy. His dark eyes turned up, his fingers were dancing slowly and comfortingly across the gentle canvas. His fingers brushed over the various scars which lingered there, the words which had been scripted into Jack's back, his arms, his chest, his lower waist. The bare boy was still so beautiful. He may have been marked. The lines now along his chest and his ribs. The tribal like scars which Jack had tried to move out across his arms. "I'm here for you. It's always going to be there for you. No matter what happens." Ryan sighed.

The day passed along quietly after that. Jack woke up more when Ryan filled the bath with hot water and white foam bubbles filled up around both of them, soothing into their skin, relaxing them, helping both of them soothe down from their panic of a morning. Neither talked about the quite question which was woven like a web over both of them.

They stayed with each other, kissing lazily, making out eventually and then making love, almost like they were assuring one another in the moment that they were together in more way than one. They were connected, two halves of a split body that had found it's way back together. When both were clean and had kissed each other longingly with love and care.

"I love you." Jack whispered gently, staring up to the older boy. Staring so deeply into those puppy dog eyes as he was pulled out the bath bridal style in Ryan's arms and set gently on the cupboard next to the sink while the brunette pulled out the various tubs of medicine, putting the certain and various amount of medication into his palms then looking back at his silver blond lover. Jack always seemed to have a distant look in his eyes now, Ryan just smiled his small smile and stretched out his index finger, tapping Jack on the nose.

He always let out a small chuckle when as though he had pushed an activation button, Jack's jaw dropped open and Ryan placed the medication in the boy's mouth, then gently tipped back a small glass of water down his throat, letting the cool water help him take the taste of the medication. Jack went along with the motion, lost in the depths of his thoughts the way he always seemed to be lately.

Ryan smirked to himself leaning forward as he brushed the boy's hair down with a towel and watched as Jack's silver spikes became a nest of wild fluffiness. "So that's why you always blow dry your hair and brush it?" Ryan teased, running his fingers through it and smiling to himself.

It was only when he slowly slid a pair of boxers along Jack's bony and lithe legs, and Ryan looked up to see those cold pair of eyes looking over him then their ice harshness soften as they held his look. Ryan just smiled gently and leaned up, placing a soft kiss on Jack's chest, working his way up the porcelain pale skin to those soft lips.

Jack blinked a few times, looking around still seemingly half caught in a day dream, like he was just waking up. He blinked a couple of times and gently rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "Ryan?" He slowly looked down at himself, pausing then rose an eyebrow slightly as he gazed back up. "Why are you dressing me up like I'm some kind of doll."  
"You had another dream walk." Ryan whispered softly, reaching up and brushing a soaking wet lock back over Jack's ear. They had come up with that term not shortly long after Jack's out burst with Thomas... as if that day hadn't been stressful enough for Jack, but Ryan had luckily shielded most of it from the blond. Though that afternoon they had talked about this. Of Jack blinking out and almost seeming to go into this dream like state, if only Jack's actual dreams were that easy to cope with as when he lost the ability to remember what happened to him in these dream walks.

Ryan smirked though as he watched Jack blush bright pink when the silver blond saw the bright pink and black trimmed boxers that the boy had originally teased Ryan with on the first ever day that they met. "So you're just going to dress me like I'm some little kid." Jack whispered, his breath stuttering though Ryan knew this time it was more about of the boy's blushing nature as Ryan slipped his lips over the boy's pale knuckles.  
"Or a doll." Ryan chuckled pulling the boy in for a soft and teasing kiss. " _My_ beautiful Princess doll."

The day passed lazily, both boys staying with only each other, lay in bed, sleeping away the time but always staying with one another. It was like the world was forgotten for both of them, that all that remained was them. Ryan finally was the first one to get up from the Disney marathon that Jack had pulled them both into and suggested getting some fresh air. Jack just groaned and mumbled something till Ryan nipped his lip a little playfully and kissed his boyfriend, smiling from ear to ear. Jack blushed so brightly, a lovely shade of pink across his porcelain cheeks, making his harsh blue eyes stand out even more, but the boy slowly rose to his feet eventually running after Ryan as the brunette winked at him, leaving the doorway slightly open.

They had no place directly that they wanted to be, they could have been anywhere but hand in hand they were happy, just strolling down the roads and various paths. Stopping by the park Ryan plucked a pink rose free and cleared the step of it's thorns, placing it in Jack's hair and making the boy raise a questioning eyebrow at his boyfriend. "It matches your blush." Ryan grinned, leaning in and placing a kiss on the boy's nose. "Oh look... there it is." He whispered, watching the same pink shade creep into Jack's cheeks.  
"Arse hole."  
"And you still love me." Ryan chuckled.  
"Always."

Both paused.

Ryan turned his gaze over staring at Jack who coughed and blushed, looking at the ground, but the brunette just beamed, slowly carrying on along the path as they came out into a small bit of the town, looking around as they seemed to have come to a small suburb area. A few grocery shops, a few charity shows dotted here and there, some small restaurants were nearby, but nothing that either of the boys wanted to really go for in that minute.t

"BUT MOM! I WANT IT!"  
"Come along nathanial!"

Ryan and Jack both looked over to where a Mother was pulling her son past a charity shop window, her gaze stern and looking more than fed up in that minute. "BUT MOMMY I WANT IT!" The small brat holding onto her wrist as she dragged it along the path screamed, starting to kick and fight against her, but she just sighed and continued on, listening to the boy scream and wail of his want.  
"Look at that, our kids will never be like that." Ryan teased, but was met by silence. "Jack?"

He turned his head slowly as he watched how Jack was frozen in place, staring at the window in the exact same spot that the kid had. "Hey, I was only kidding okay? We'd have to get married before that."

Still Jack just stared into the large and shinning decorated window of the charity store, the various shelves in the display case holding up items like books, items of clothing, shirts and jackets.

But Jack's eyes were locked on one specific items.

Sat up on the top shelf was a large blue bear, it looked a little damaged and it's blue fur was faded with time, but other than that, it seemed to be quite a nice teddy bear in Ryan's opinion. He had never personally been into that, but still he just rose an eyebrow at his boyfriend's glazed over expression before letting go of the boy's hand and slipping away for a moment.  
"What?" Jack frowned, staring at the bear as his headache flared like an eruption of a volcano. Once again it stung at him, but somehow he was stood there, just staring at the bear. Why did looking at this bear make him feel so sad? Why did it make him feel like he was missing something? Like once more that gap in his mind, that shadow of darkness was dropping a heavier veil just to make it more confusing for him.

Jack however froze when the shop assistant walked over to the window case and gently picked up the bear, offering Jack a small smile before turning his back towards the desk. The blond couldn't help it as he took a step forward, not understanding just exactly what was going, his hand reaching out to press against the glass window ever so slightly. His chest tightening quickly as he felt like all of a sudden he had just lost something, like he was a small child.

"Hey? What's with the tear?" Ryan frowned, asking gently as he walked back over to his boyfriend slowly, seeing the faint pearl drop fall from Jack's cheek.  
"I-I don't know." The blond whispered, shaking his head and staring back over with the blue eyes. No longer they seemed like a field of ice, but just like that of a boy who in that moment seemed lost.  
"Well, maybe if you don't want to tell me about it. You can tell this little guy, huh?"

Ryan slowly pulled back the hand he had wound from behind his back to show Jack the faded blue fur bear. Jack's eyes widened slightly as he took in the sight of the old bear, with it's one eye missing, with it's label being a faded black, the name which originally there was all but completely erased and lost to time. Jack couldn't even make out the first letter which had been on the label.

"Ryan? You-"  
"You think that I don't know when you want something?" Ryan chuckled, placing a soft kiss on the boy's forehead, Jack wound his arms around the bear pulling it close to his chest, but still lent his head in and closed his eyes under the other boy's soft lips. "Besides I wanted to get you a gift..." He smiled, though he didn't add the rest of what he was thinking. _Because it's our anniversary._  
"You act as though were in some kind of cheesy love story." Jack whispered softly.  
"Of course we are!" Ryan smirked, "you're the princess and I'm your shinning white-"  
"Ha!" Jack chuckled, making Ryan narrow his eyes playfully.  
"Okay, dark knight!" Ryan shrugged. "To rescue you."  
"You already have remember." Jack whispered, placing a gentle kiss on his boyfriend's cheek for being so sweet. "I think I'll name him... Charlie? Charlie works I think." The blond smiled.

Ryan paused for a moment watching Jack take a few steps away, then he glanced over to the alley next to the store, where faded yellow police tape still covered the entrance to the alleyway. White outlines were still shaped onto the floor, making Ryan stare at the broken shape of the drawn figure for a few minutes. "Actually..." He glared for a minute as he thought he caught sight of gold under a hood at the end of the alleyway, before it vanished into the shadows. "I'm not sure I saved you..."

Ryan glared at the ground as he thought back to the other day.

"Not yet." He growled.


	34. Chapter 34

**Hi everyone! Thanks for all of your reviews CharlieSMarts12 and Dark Heart 945! Thanks again to all of you who read and favourite and follow this story! Warning: Boyxboy, violence, swearing (A lot in this chapter), mentions of abuse, ratings may be turned up and etc etc etc. So surgery hasn't gone too well, and I had to have it again yesterday and had similar results which seem to have made me worse, I don't really know what that means for me at this point. I hope you are all doing well. Love you all lots!**

* * *

Ryan tapped his fingers on the coffee table as he stared off out the window to the people passing by on the street. His dark brown eyes scoured over everyone that dared move by. His gaze picked out their weakness as they scoured hungrily for every single detail that he could collect in that moment. His mind was hungry in that moment to crush someone.

He could feel the cold and deep gnawing of anger eat away at him from the inside. His chest was tight and tensed like the curled grip of his fist on the table as he stared out the window with a fixated interest.

It had been a long night. He was trying to look anywhere now but at the one he normally could not take his eyes off. But every time he did, he just thought about what had happened last night.

Rain.

Rain was the only sound, tapping lightly outside on the open window of the humble room, it was a soothing sound, one that encouraged a gentle lullaby. The chill was soft, almost a caress on the sleeping figure, resting. One hour in the twenty four that was available to him, he was drawing it in as much as he could, the depth of a sleep that was giving him what he had been starving for. That slight moment of rest that seemed to be lost in a speck of sand.

But it was a rest that was short lived.

His eyes burst open as the crimson tide burst free of his lips, his useless hands trying desperately to cover his mouth in the moment. It was so little of a use, his fingers slammed over his mouth just as the hand of a stranger would feel doing the gesture. His fingers numb and cold to him as they tried to seal his mouth, to stop all that escaping him.

A vain effort.

The red tide just slipped through his fingers like the inevitable sands of time could. The blood slowly slicking across the pale of his hand and dripping down onto the white of the pillow case as he heaved. His spluttering breath was all but short of a scream in that minute as the red fountain soaked around him. He had grabbed anything nearby, frantic to try and stop himself from spreading this crimson tide further, but he should have been more focused on himself.  
The agonising twist in his stomach, he could feel the warmth spreading up through him, building along till with a cry it burst through his teeth again. It slipped through his teeth as easily as it did his mouth.

It was late in the light, his eyes were blearing as his useless fingers reached out, clawing for the door while he stumbled his way along each step, relying on only one leg that was available to him.

The stench of metal was heavy in the air as it was curling on his mouth. He could feel it dripping free down his face as easy as it had escaped his stomach.

By the time that he even made it to the bathroom he was on the floor, dragging himself along the floor, his hand print slick on the lino floor. His nails digging in as with what little control there was, he was trying to focus on still not letting it get everywhere. He knew the nightmare of having to face it when he got a slight break and was given at least a bit of time to clear himself of this added trial.

God knew that he had to deal with this crap regularly, it had become almost expected. Bleed, vomit, wash pillows, and quilt. Hide the damage, not from the others, but only from himself. For in that lonely, it was he who had to face this, by himself.

The night was cold and dark, the thing he had come to know the best, just like the colour red. The cold rushing over his feverish and burning ribs and skin. He kept one arm around the agonising area while another hand slammed over his mouth before he hurled once more across the floor.

For a few minutes he laid there, his face resting in that warm puddle on the otherwise cold floor. He could feel it all, the pain of his body, the pain of the blood moving down his lips and drying on his face and in his hair as he could do nothing else but just stay there for a few minutes. He was paralysed by exhaustion and both the sudden loss of blood, his arms trembling.

But he had to fight. Just as everyone told him. He had to continue fighting.

He dragged himself, his strength failing him when he was desperate for it most. He was trying all he could.  
But he couldn't escape it.  
All he could do was hold his head as he vomited that blood down the toilet, tears bursting free from his face as he looked up to see the mirror nearby.

There it was, his skin a canvas of red and slick tears.

He reached a hand out slowly, touching the numb limb to the glass in front of him and sobbing at all that came was another red stroke and smear of crimson across the otherwise stained image.

Someone had told him once to go to hell.  
He had been there all along.  
In this body.  
Not every prison was made of concrete and iron.  
The best one was apparently the one made of flesh and bone.

Ryan had found Jack on the floor, the boy all but nearly passed out, covered in blood and pouring his eyes out with tears. His mouth had been smeared crimson, the blood had been drying out on his face. Nearby the bear that Ryan had got him was sat neatly on top of the bath tub, the areas where Jack must have got his blood over him were now cleaned.

"Hey there." Ryan crouched in front of the boy, reaching out his hand as he didn't care whether or not that the boy was soaked in crimson. Blood was blood, looking after Jack had meant that he had seen his fair share of it. But through all these trials, all this sickness, Ryan didn't care. He would always be there to look after Jack. He would always be there.  
"H-Hey, you probably should go." Jack murmured quietly. "My b-boyfriend will be by soon." He murmured sleepily.  
"How come you didn't ask him to come down here with you?" Ryan asked softly, looking at the exhaustion laid deep within Jack's eyes. Jack was barely if at all still awake. It was probably the medication still lingering in the boy, especially with the fact that Jack had been sleeping less and less lately. Ryan guessed now he knew why.  
"He's dealing with enough stress. He's upset about something." Jack frowned, his head drooping forward slightly, "I don't like him upset. He has such a beautiful smile."  
"I bet he thinks the same about you." Ryan cooed, grabbing a wet cloth and beginning to dab at the side of Jack's mouth, cleaning away the dried out blood with as much care as he possibly could. "In fact I'm absolutely certain about that one."  
"U-uh... who are you?" Jack murmured, his eyes drooping as he rested his now clean forehead into the palm of his hand. Ryan kept dabbing away at the areas with a restricted smile. He had gotten used to this now, whenever Jack had a night like this, Ryan always helped the boy to pretend that it was a bad dream, he didn't wake Jack up, just made sure that the silver blond got everything out of his system and then, the brunette would take his boyfriend back to their bed and hold him till morning.

Ryan guessed that it was just better that way.

"I'm the huntsman." His smile twitched up at the edge of his mouth.  
"Oh... It's you." Jack slurred, drunk with his exhaustion and sleep. "You're a lot hotter than Chris Hemsworth?" Jack muttered, tilting his chin back when Ryan asked him too, the brunette was trying not to burst out into laughter at just how incredibly adorable his beautiful blond was. Honestly, even in this state, James couldn't help but just be amazing. "Can I just ask you o-one thing?" The boy grimaced slightly and Ryan reached out for the nearby cup of hot milk which he placed a few strawberries in and melted some white chocolate into, Jack pulled back slightly but Ryan just cooed him to him.  
"I'll answer anything if you take a few sips for me?" He asked. Jack pouted and groaned but took a few tentative sips, the added fact that Ryan had put in some of Jack's favourite sweet things had made it a bit easier for him to at least.  
"Why didn't you cut that bitch Snow White's heart out while you had the chance." Jack mumbled, slurring slightly as the contents of the drink warmed him and made him begin to slowly slip back into a softer slumber.

It was only when Jack had slumped his head back against the bathroom wall, did Ryan let out a low and slow chuckle. "Y-You're l-laughing at me." Jack pouted.  
"I forgot to ask you, I gave you my name, why don't you give me yours... Oh fair Princess." He couldn't help but add on the last bit of teasing as Jack frowned slightly.  
"T-The o-only person who calls me Princess is R-Ryan!" Jack growled in warning, slurring forward slightly. "B-But go ahead."  
"What's your name?" Ryan grinned, unable to hold back the smile.

He loved this part, sometimes Jack would blurt out the most adorable of things with such a certainty as though to think of it. So far Jack had gone by, Peter Pan, Cheshire Cat, Velma Kelly, The Evil Queen, and Ryan's personal favourite; when Jack turned around and said, "I'm Selina Kyle, meow, now my big bad bat, show me who does it better, Bruce Waybe or Batman."

Ryan would be lying if he admitted that he wasn't able to stop himself bursting into laughter at that one.

But now Jack just looked down at his hand for a minute, as though he was in his drowsy state seeing something which Ryan couldn't. Those half closed eyes were closing faster by the second as it seemed that exhaustion had set in like a heavy blanket around him. "It's... Jack-" The blond let out a yawn, smiling to himself as he rested his warm brow against the cool of Ryan's skin. "Jack Ryves." James smiled, closing his eyes.

Ryan stared for a moment with a rose eyebrow and a spectacular blush exploding across his cheeks. His eyes were wide with disbelief as he just remained there, crouched above Jack, unsure on exactly what to do in that minute.

Eventually he just bent down and scooped Jack up pulling the boy bridal style against his chest. The blond's arms slowly wound their way up and rested over Ryan's heart, the smaller boy letting out a small sigh as Ryan carried him back to their room.

"Give it a couple of years." He grinned, glancing down at Jack's sleeping face, unable to keep the ear splitting smile off his face off. "And then we'll see about that."

But that wasn't why Ryan was sitting stressed at the coffee table right now. He drummed his fingers along the hard surface, picking up his coffee in his trembling hand as he sipped the warm drink. His glower was like an inferno as the ratty dressed boy in a torn shirt and jeans took their seat in front of him, a cold smile locked onto their face. "Long time no say Reece-"  
"Ryan."  
"Ryan." The golden blond corrected himself as the brunette's dark eyes rolled at him.  
"And what a pleasantly and fortunately long time it has been since I've had to see you, Dickhead."  
"King."  
"Dickhead." Ryan stated firmly, taking another sip from his drink. "How's that jaw hanging up there champ..."

King glowered just back now, his smug exterior forgot as Ryan was reminding the street rat just exactly of who it was that the boy was dealing with. Ryan grinned, finding his mask sliding back onto place as though it had never left at all. "Oh sorry, you're right that was rude of me-" The brunette began, watching King's glare ease back up slightly. "I forgot the complete set. Jaw, cracked ribs, broken wrist." Ryan put a false, sympathetic smile on his face and awed patronisingly. "It must have been so tough for you."  
"If you want to go for round two-"  
"Then you wouldn't be getting back up from it this time." Ryan stated calmly, his eyes boring into the boy. "You're lucky you got up the first time, don't push for a second chance, because I'm not the one who gives them."  
"But you're happy to take sloppy seconds."

Ryan paused for a moment, listening to what King had thought he had only muttered, not seeming to realize the true extent of the boy's fixated attention. In seems that time had done nothing to teach the blond of just who it was that he was dealing with.  
"Now you better tell me what exactly the fuck it is that you meant with your message." The brunette glanced down, a piece of paper between his fingers, scrawled with writing. "Break up with Jack, or watch nightmare become reality?" Ryan chuckled coldly, shaking his head as he looked back up and into the pits of Jack's ex. "I don't take threats."  
"No... there's normally always someone annoyingly close nearby to take cover for you, isn't there."

Ryan froze at that, pausing for a moment as he frowned leaning forward slightly. His fingers laced together slowly, the boy in front of Ryan had obviously just lost his crown. Back when Ryan had first met him, the boy had been able to keep all of that nastiness and coldness in his eyes, hidden behind the fact that he looked like any other person... now Ryan could see that cruel flower in King's eyes loud and clear.

"Strange comment to make, don't you think? You'd have to know me personally to know about anything that happens when I get into a situation like that."  
"Yeah, I guess I would. But we go back a long time don't we Ryan."  
"I know we do." Ryan growled

It was obvious that the blond understood that too, because finally a cold sneer exploded across his face with an exasperated snort. "Besides, I wasn't ready for you last time, that gave you an advantage, well that and also all those chemicals that were rushing around that nasty little mind of yours." King lent forward slowly, plucking the cup from Ryan's hands, taking a long sip before shoving it back into the boy's hands.  
"You should see what's going through it right now." Ryan growled.  
"Honestly, if I had known that you could fight like that, like all of this?" King's eyes moved over Ryan as the blond shook his head, regret there obviously as he stared at the brunette like the other boy was but a piece of meat. "Then I would have made sure that the one I destroyed in that alley was you and not my little bitch."

Ryan sat still frozen, staring ahead of him, his voice quiet and a little hoarse. That comment about them going back a long time... King must have thought that he knew-

"Excuse me. Repeat that."  
"Sorry, should I carve it into your skin to help you remember." King smirked, sealing the deal on the thought which had been blossoming slowly into Ryan's mind with the boy's admission. "After all, I can make it a pretty little piece like I did on my other bit of art work."

Ryan's cup fell out of his grip and onto the table, spilling it's contents across the surface.

Ryan paused, staring with utter and complete disbelief in front of him at the blond. Ryan's voice came out in a quiet and slow whisper as he stared at the blond. "You unimaginable cunt." He stated, unsure whether this was some sick joke or not, beginning to put it together.

Then one terrible and crushing fact hit him.

"You raped him when he was a kid." Ryan whispered, his eyes wide with disbelief. "You got him to date his rapist."  
"Well it was easy to do. I made sure to leave a lasting impression on him." King chuckled quietly, his eyes shining sickeningly with joy. "Yes I plucked Persephone's little rose, and made sure that everyone else around knew what a pretty little petal that he was." King lent back in his chair. "I spent years with the little bitch after that."  
"Then when Persephone sent out the hit on me... you took it."  
"Because I knew what he would do. It was the perfect way for me to go for round two on his little damaged goods arse without anyone suspecting. But then to finish it off, I got to go full canvas on that body of his. Oh... you should of heard him screaming, and that was before I even got to cutting him." King smirked, watching Ryan begin to violently tremble. "But the funny thing about all of this is the fact that, you know, you may not have been able to stop it the first time round, to you know, stop me from ripping him open like a candy wrapper, or putting my art work on him? But you could have stopped him the second time. All if you had taken it yourself, or had the balls the first time around." King smirked. "Oh how I think about all the times even when we were together that I beat the crap out of him... I should have gotten a few more goes in while I could."

King's smile was of one who was elated with victory.

And he spoke with this because he knew that he could so easily. If Ryan told anyone, what would they do? No one would pin it on King, the main victim had spent two years in a coma and woken with amnesia and the first incident was years ago and had been closed as Rose lying to the police, a gutter rat looking for a bit of attention-  
"You son of a bitch!" Ryan hissed, his hand launching for the knife out of his cutlery but King just slammed out his hand down over the boy's hand.  
"Now, now, now. Wouldn't want to be doing something we'd regret right?" King chuckled, crushing Ryan's hand onto the knife, blood slicking the brunette's palm quickly as the metal dug into his flesh. "Speaking of doing things, I'm gonna need you to stop with Jack and give me my little bitch back." King chuckled quietly.  
"You sick bastard." Ryan snarled. "You sick, sick bastard! You only get joy out of hurting those who are weaker than you. "To you, Sirena was everything that could be perfect in a victim you son of-AH!" Ryan bit down on his lip harshly, tasting blood in his mouth as King crushed his hand tighter around the knife.  
"Now, now. Names aren't nice... but there are worse things. I should know, I do them to most people. You see, you know it anyway, I'm untouchable you little freak." King said as though he was explaining a simple rule to a stubborn child. "Now, you're gonna break up with Jack or I'm gonna whisper ever nasty little detail of those sweet nights to him... you think he didn't handle it the first time?" King chuckled. "I'm sure he will just be _dying_ to know." The blond burst out into laughter, Ryan snarled, spitting blood in the boy's face before he went back to trying not to scream out in pain. That's what this bastard wanted. Last time he had gotten Ryan crying on the floor in that alleyway.

Never. Never would anyone ever make him, or get him to feel like that ever again.

"You see, I don't like sharing my toys." King smiled, leaning forward with his head resting in his palm, a smile spread across his face like butter wouldn't melt. "The only reason that I ever kept him around was because of just how much fun it was to hurt him... he'd never fight back. He'd just take it... but then again, I knew from when I first met him in that alley how good he was at taking it." King shrugged, a frown slipping onto his features now as Ryan just stayed quiet, keeping himself like a rock. "You've changed. I guess I made you boring all those years ago, now is there anything else you'd like to say before I got and collect my prize?" King blinked his eyelashes as though he was sweetly innocent.

"Get your fucking hands off my boyfriend you bastard!"  
"Wait what-"

King screamed out just as the table went crashing onto a tilt on the floor. In a swift motion of black, like a shadow dragged so suddenly across the room in front of everyone's attention, King flailed from the position that he had been crushed into now. No longer grinning and smiling, revelling in every truth of the sweet pains he had caused, the victory that he took as destroying another boy's life. But now he only flailed and screamed in complete agony like a fish caught on a hook.

The boy had his hands on his neck where a heavy book was crushing down on his throat. The blond had landed with his back half against the table, so he was bent over backwards with the table pushing into the halfway point on his spine. The boy was desperately trying to keep his balance and push himself back up, but he couldn't move, he dared not. If he moved slightly now, he would lose the balance that he had left and the reality of having his back broke by him slipping seemed to be more of a reality than anything else. If he didn't keep putting all his strength into keeping this boy's boot off from crushing onto his throat, then Jack would snap King's back in half by bending him over completely backwards, if not breaking his neck in the process!

King was stuck, he couldn't do anything but at best make sure that he couldn't fall and end up killing himself in the process.

But above him now, he stared at a sight that he had never seen in his life and a thrill of fear that he had never felt before as cold ice blue eyes looked into him with blood thirst and rage. The boy's silver hair shone like a halo of spikes on his head, his pearly teeth were barred as the boy's jaw was set harsh like an lion about to make the fatal blow.

"You interrupted my date." Ryan snarled as he went to the job of prying the knife out of his palm, screaming in pain as he did, but with every scream Jack's pressure just increase till King began to cry out himself.

Jack was dressed in his black leather and fur cuffed jacket that cut off at his midriff. The boy's shirt had blood stains down the front of it, obviously of his own, as there were still trail marks down the side of his mouth. But the boy's porcelain skin shined out more defiantly than ever, all of King's work into making a broken sheep, was unravelling before his eyes as the golden blond stared in horror at the monstrous blood thirsty boy in front of him. Jack's skinny black jeans were tucked into his boots which crushed down heavier and heavier with every second.

Staring now, to King it wasn't like he was seeing the broken and destroyed boy he had known so long ago, but now he was staring at a Fallen Angel. Jack's beauty mingled with rage.

"It's easy to pick on someone who you kept breaking." Ryan snarled, as he pulled the knife out of his palm, sending his blood splattering into the napkin he quickly shoved his hand into. "However, whenever someone fights you back though, you get scared. You run... because you're a coward." The brunette whispered into the hushed and baited silence of horror that had filled the coffee shop. "You can only take on those who you thought that you broke...But you never broke him, you thought you did, you just gave him a way to find his way to me. You and Persephone both." Ryan was the one grinning now as he raised his hand with the knife, standing over King who stared with fear filled eyes. "You keep thinking you're dealing with the boys from the alley... but you need to know is that we're different now. Because now..." Ryan grinned as King screamed in pain, feeling on the edge of his spine about to snap. "You're his bitch. Not the other way around."

Ryan brought the knife down and King screamed.

But after a minute or two, the blond opened his eyes to realize that the knife was now buried instead just a few centimetres from his head. Ryan's gaze seemed to say it all in that minute. _You thought that you won? Me and Jack have won. We're together, safe, have somewhere to live, while you're out there alone._ But that didn't also stop Ryan from leaning forward and whisper into the golden blond's ear. "Watch out there pretty boy, because what would happen now if Persephone found out that you were the one to rape her baby and do all of that to him."

The answer was clear.

She would make King long for what he had done to Jack.

But now the brunette turned his gaze with alert back to the silver blond as he heard sounds of cracking coming from King's body, the golden haired boy beginning to gasp as words failed him in his pain. "Jack?" Ryan asked, watching those cold eyes turn frighteningly dark with a deeper bathed blood lust. "Jack you can stop now."

The ice blond just crushed his foot down all the more slowly onto King's wind pipes, a loud crunching echoing out in warning from Ryan's body as he was about to be snapped in half. "Jack that's enough!" Ryan called out.

"You ever touch my boyfriend again?" Jack whispered through his teeth, his eyes still so dangerously dark, but seeming to want to complete what he wanted to do more than anything else. "I'll kill you." Jack hissed, watching King shrink back in horror.  
"Come on, let's go." Ryan said, still holding his wounded hand close to his chest but still keeping one arm around Jack as they headed towards the door. "This trash isn't worth he isn't worth it."

Jack buried his head against Ryan's chest, curling his pale hands around Ryan's damaged one as both left side by side.

Just how they should had done all those years ago.


	35. Chapter 35

**Hi everyone! Thanks for all of your reviews CharlieSMarts12 and Dark Heart 945! Thanks again to all of you who read and favourite and follow this story! Warning: Boyxboy, violence, swearing, mentions of abuse, ratings may be turned up and etc etc etc. So hi everyone! I'm so sorry about how long it has been since I've been able to update. Thank you all so much for your continued support *big heart***

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"Jack? Are you okay?"

Ryan's voice carried around the attic as he blinked and looked around, his eyes adjusting to the darker space of piled up boxes which had been pushed aside to make a large square and clear space. Those puppy dog brown orbs that were so loved by one blinked away the slight bit of dust in the air as he felt the humid temperature hit him an immediately proceeded over to the side to open a window and let cool air in.

The day was cold outside, still early spring with the winter lasting with it's claws dug deeply in, but still Ryan didn't mind too much. He was always warm now, warm with the thought of Jack in his heart, even if that other day had proven that neither of them could escape from the past. Ryan now knew there was some closure for both himself and the boy who had been King's victim.

But still... the other day, Ryan had seen something so dangerous inside Jack's eyes. Something he had only seen once a very long time ago.

He gently reached up and rubbed his own shoulder.

Something he had hoped he would never see happen to Jack again.

Ryan slowly rounded the corner and came across who he had been looking for. Jack kept his movement going in the pirouette that he was in, completing the movement over and over with a fierce and strict attitude with himself. Ryan could see the steely coldness in those fierce blue eyes. The way that Jack was pushing himself to move faster, sharper, smoother, calmer, fiercer, whatever he demanded of himself he brought it out. He never faltered once in his steps but only enforced himself to work harder. He was merciless with himself.

He was his own worst enemy when it came to dancing and work. He never accepted anything less out of himself now but perfection, pushing till every tiny detail was nothing less than exact.

He would be the death of himself.

But still Ryan watched Jack's arms come up in an sharp arc in front of the pale boy's face. Slowly bring both elbows up to point to the sky and his hands brush along his cheek delicately, tauntingly with the allure of the movement. The way his fingers tauntingly touched the blush of his cheek, the way he would arch so carefully his back. He brought out his leg just enough to line his body up to highlight it's thin frame like structure but also show himself off.

Ryan found every time that Jack performed he was entranced by it. It was so beautiful, so graceful and perfect. Ryan knew that what he was listening to in that moment and the alluring mixture of both sharp and slow movements shouldn't go together, but the way that Jack moved to the right beat with the right speed, he _made_ it work. The cover was LC9, Just A Dream, Jack's favourite song. He would spend hours listening to that song and the different covers of it, never seeming to grow bored with it.

The brunette smiled to himself as he lent against a wooden framing and watched the way Jack moved so hypnotically. His smile was a little sad though, the only reason that Jack was pushing himself so hard was he was scared of himself. After that incident in the coffee shop, Jack had ran away as far as he could. Ryan had nearly lost him at a couple of points, trying to keep up with Jack till the pale boy had collapsed from exhaustion in the park on Masquerade hill. No matter what happened, both boys always ended up going back there. It was like it was a safe point for both of them, a place both felt a comfort, from their past whether either of them remembered it or not.

Jack had just laid there on the hill, sobbing his eyes out, hiding his face. Only when he had been beyond exhaustion did he even allow Ryan who had tried to cuddle the boy touch him. There had been something in those ice like orbs; fear, shame, anger, blood lust... so much that Jack himself was devoid of to information to. The emotions were there, alive as he was, but the memories to explain why he felt those, were just as erased as ever.

To Jack he felt he as though he was becoming insane, a uncontrollable psychopath.

To Ryan, he was watching the victim not understand and be framed a monster for being hurt.

"Jack." He said gently as the last chorus of the song came on, but the blond only brought his elbow out, flowing with the choreography. His loose black vest shirt caught the breeze outside and lifted to reveal the pale of his abdomen and the scars which made Ryan turn his sad gaze away from as the memories of seeing them the first time were still like freshly inflicted wounds.

The blond's eyes snapped over, fierce, cool and deadly. His face still the mask of his performance but the boy just moved calmly to his dance till the song came to and end, which at that point- "Whoa!"

Ryan dived forward as the song faded out Jack stumbled forward, his hair slicked down with sweat, his chest convulsing as he heaved for breath. Had Ryan's instincts not been so quick then Jack may have face planted the ground. Luckily though, Ryan's waiting arms were there as they always were for Jack. But the blond now huffed and coughed trying to catch his breath. Ryan did his best, cooing gently and softly to him, whispering sweet nothings and placing tender loving kisses, which like all the other times worked to calm Jack down.

Ryan understood that it was so much more about dance. This was about the fear that Jack had that he couldn't control himself. He would push himself now to his limits, beyond them so much that he would crush himself into a state like he was in now. He may have nearly killed King, but a part of Jack seemed to have died that day. Part of the innocence that Jack had without his memories, (even though there were still no memories returned to him), something like realization had set deeply into him.

Jack realized that this wasn't going away. These moments of him losing control weren't going away any time soon. Something was going on inside him, something that he couldn't fix by himself. Something he couldn't fix by pushing himself to limits beyond what he could do. Something that had to be fixed another way.

Ryan knew he would have to get Jack to do something about it, he had to help the boy, but he just didn't know how! How could he help Jack fix something that was affecting him, without destroying him, because that's what would happen if he remembered. That's what would happen if Jack would find out about his past. All that pain, guilt, the fear? All of it would destroy him. Jack was strong... but everyone has their limits. No matter who they are.

"You over did it again." Ryan spoke with only the infinite gentleness and love that he had for the other boy. He was tensed, dressed in his white shirt and hooded black jacket. His black jeans were clamped around his toned legs as he remained there crouched next to the wheezing blond, running his fingers softly down Jack's bony spine. He thought back to the nights this week that he had found Jack in the bathroom bleeding or vomiting blood. Still it hadn't eased up on him.

Jack just set his jaw tightly huffing for breath as the cool breeze rushed against him, filling his lungs with that which they starved for. His eyes were dangerous bright and clear to the brim with the exhaustion which existed within them. "Come on now." Ryan set the pace for their breathing but only fell back when Jack pinned him against the pillar and crashed their mouths together.

Ryan could feel it, Jack was searching for comfort, the only comfort that he found in this world which was with him. They were both two king players on this chessboard of life, supposed to lead two opposing teams against one another, but for some reason, life had made them fall in love with each other instead. They were who halves of the same whole. Everything had tested them and tried to tear them apart but here they both were, still together. Time couldn't split them. Tragedy couldn't break them. "I thought you would be exhausted-"  
"Shut up and kiss me." Jack stated, swapping them around as Ryan slammed him back against the frame, hungrily lips crawled along his pale neck, sucking harshly on the skin and making the pale blond gasp deeply as he knew a mark would be left.

After a few minutes of heated kisses Ryan pulled back gently running his finger along the crimson blush on Jack's cheek, loving that he had made the boy turn that shade of the colour. Jack let out a small huff and turned his gaze away slightly still blushing incredibly bright, even more so when Ryan trailed a line of kisses down the boy's neck and over his heart, prolonging the touch to be as soft as possible and as loving as he could, he tried to put all the words he couldn't say into the gesture as he laid his claim against the soft and warm skin. "R-Ryan!" The pale boy blushed brightly.  
"I know what you think." The brunette said simply, sliding his hand along Jack's side till it lined with his and their fingers laced together above the blond's head, but Ryan kept his head and lips over the boy's heart, gently kissing the skin now and then. "You think that you're a monster." He said gently, "but you're not. You have a heart, a beautiful heart. You're just trying to find your way, like the rest of us. Life threw you down a path that made you stumble, now you're just trying to regain your footing." The brunette said the words with a gentle kiss back on the porcelain boy's mouth, sealing it as a promise.  
"I nearly killed that boy the other day." Those blue orbs glanced down, shame painted across them along with something else. Something buried under the gaze that was trying to force it's way to the surface. "And... I didn't care if I did."

Jack's gaze snapped up. "I felt as though something in me... like something took control. It was like I was watching everything happen... but I didn't want to stop it either." The truth from the boy was cold and harsh but as always it was completely factual. Jack never beat around the bush, sometimes he was reluctant yes to come forward about how he felt, but he was always honest.

Especially when it came to talking to Ryan.

"I wanted to kill him..." Jack said softly, as though his voice could take away the harsh truth. Ryan's fingers just gently moved along his cheek, turning those harsh blue eyes back to him.  
"But you didn't."  
"I could have."  
"But you didn't." Ryan countered gently, a small and sad smile playing along his lips, his touch was as light as possible. _Though it's not as though the disgusting bastard doesn't deserve it._ He thought to himself though he tried to keep on his poker face for Jack's sake. "You stopped."  
"Doesn't change the fact that I nearly did."  
"Just as it doesn't change the face that you didn't." Ryan smirked, watching Jack narrow his gaze.  
"I'm serious _Rye-Rye_."  
"As am I Princess." He shrugged, wrapping his arms around the boy's waist and holding him close, their foreheads coming to a comfortable rest together. "I understand that so much still doesn't make sense to you any more. I know that it's still so confusing to you, but I know whatever it is, you can tackle it head on. You can do this my Princess." Ryan spoke as gently as he possibly could, running his hand with love through the boy's hair and feeling Jack tilt his head affectionately into the touch. He'd never say it out loud for fear of a crotch kicking from the blond, but Jack could be so much like a big kitten sometimes, lapping up the gentle and caring touch. He would even on some occasion make a little purring sound, but profoundly refuse it had ever happened if he was caught, though there were very few who were actually brave enough, though stupid enough would probably be more accurate adjective of the action as to confronting Jack about it.

The blond turned his gaze away slowly, but only let out his tiny purr sound as Ryan's hand brushed his cheek, his thumb gently rubbing the blush and it's soft crimson glow on his otherwise winter like skin. "So I was thinking why don't we both just get out of here." The brunette grinned.  
"Grab a Cosplay and let's just go and find somewhere?" Jack asked wistfully.  
"Grab a Cosplay and-" Ryan froze as he repeated the words then watched the grin grow along the boy's face as he realized he had just agreed to Jack dressing them both up.

That pearl smile flashed with those cold eyes.

"Oh god what have I just agreed to." He whispered.  
"Oh Ryan dear... you should have learned better by now."

Ryan froze in place as his blood set like ice in his veins.

Both boys turned to the entrance of the attic where two cold and dark eyes regarded both of them from the shadows.

footsteps echoed off the framing around them while a pair of black heels elegantly stepped free of the darkness. Long peachy toned and slightly bronzed legs smoothed into the light. A short black skirt attached to a midnight dark dress outfit. An expensive diamond ring on long fingers came into view, and then when a hand reached up to free it, long waist length hazel nut hair flowed down, braided with sparkling lines of gold. Those eyes that sent fear, hatred and revulsion bored into Ryan, they were feral, cold and merciless.

"Persephone." He breathed quietly.  
"That's right honey." She grinned, eyeing Jack like a prize. "Mommy's home."


	36. Chapter 36

**Hi everyone! Thanks for all of your reviews CharlieSMarts12, Justice237 and Dark Heart 945! Thanks again to all of you who read and favourite and follow this story! Warning: Boyxboy, violence, swearing, mentions of abuse, ratings may be turned up and etc etc etc.**

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The room was quiet as the sun slowly slid it's early glow sliding across the morning table surface. The only faintest sound was in the corridor as the piano was being played carefully, each key pressed was accented by a sharpness in the gaze and a glare as both woman and brunette boy stared each other down from each side of the table. The wind battered harshly as oncoming clouds spread across every corner of the horizon.

Persephone stirred her cup of tea carefully and slowly, the silver spoon pushing a single slice of lemon beneath the scolding liquid. Ryan's eyes traced the movement of her wrist, smooth and perfect. Her nails pointed and sharpened like crimson claws... ironic, that was the natural colour that they should be in Ryan's opinion, with the sheer amount of blood on the bitches hands, it was the least of the dark marks which belonged on the cow.

Her harsh eyes looked over at him as her thick mascara lashes blinked their midnight shade towards him, the eyeliner around her ruthless orbs didn't strike the fear into Ryan like they would with anyone else... no. This bitch didn't scare him any more. Her expensive hair style of curled golden hair that was thrown down the side of her shoulder, around her expensive black and white dress. Her clothes, her money, her appearance... after all that she had put him through, what else could this bitch do to him to scare him?

She had already done the worst possible thing to Ryan that she could have done. She had cost him some of the best memories he had in his life, the memory of his first kiss with Jack. She had cost him two years of feeling alone, two years of spending every day in a hospital scared that the boy he loved would never wake up. This woman could beat him, threaten to kill him, try to rip him apart, but she could do absolutely nothing else to terrify him any more.

Because now as he sat lent forward in his chair, with his chin resting on his laced fingers, his brown eyes boring back into her, he knew that she couldn't hurt him any more. He could see it in her eyes, the same pain that he had now spent the last half year working through, of course it hadn't actually set yet, of course the cow was smart, but even she seemed to be trying to find any logical reason or explanation. She was trying to solve a puzzle with only half the pieces in front of her.

And Ryan loved every single amount of pleasure that came to him from watching her suffer in trying to figure it out.

"You should be dead."  
"Always with the pleasantries." Ryan smirked, his brown eyes glittering like prize winning diamonds as he tried not to laugh, his glare reigned by his smile and his relaxed posture already getting underneath skin. He could see it. The way she was tensed, notably trying to relax her shoulders but failing as it seemed the lack of understanding as to what was going on was driving her mad. "Now, to what do we owe the absolute unfortunate luck of ours, for you to visit us."  
"Still the sharp tongued little bastard." She snarled.

It was then in that moment that both ripped free the concealing masks that they had been wearing.

Ryan's glare exploded like a case of lit magnesium, flaring brighter than the most brightest firework. His jaw set tightly but his smirk remained as dominant and unyielding as his resolve. His heart was racing but only of the thought now of Jack. He had to keep Jack safe now, he had failed him once, he would never fail him again. He slowly raised his cup to his lips and took a sip as he watched Persephone's knuckles turn a harsh and pale white as her grip closed so tight around the porcelain cup, Ryan was just surprised the cup didn't shatter in her hands.

Her rouge lips wound back almost like a wolf barring it's teeth in a snarl. "Don't play games with me! Two years I haven't heard from my baby, two years I've spent searching for my little Rose Sirena. Then all of a sudden I get a call from one of my children-"  
"I'd say Rats, but we'll use your phrasing for now." Ryan stated casually as he could just even now still feel the unrelenting rage at the thought of Thomas and his actions.  
"Stop playing games with me little boy."  
"Aw, but didn't you ever learn? The dead love to toy with the living." He grinned, letting out a sharp and harshly cold laugh, unable to help himself. His eyes glittered with deep amusement as he watched her patience growing thinner and thinner. Her eyes practically radiated the sheer hatred that was growing.

Finally though, it was enough of toying about.

It was time to slowly lower the dangling knife and watch this bitch suffer.

Ryan's smile became as cold as it was beautiful, like a shark would look if it could possibly do so... and Ryan could imagine how it would look from the amount of time that Jack had him watch Finding Nemo with him. But he didn't care, because god he was the one with the power this time. So much of these last years, so much of all those time, he had been powerless or at least felt it, because of those around him who thought that they were the power that ruled over him... no more. Now he was the one with the power, he was the one who had everything that they all wanted.

"You stupid cow." He scoffed coldly and let out a harsh and sharp laughter, shaking his head slowly with disbelief as he was unable to restrain himself any longer. Letting out harsh and loud cackles, even at one point slamming his hand down on the table, unable to stop himself, his shoulder shook as the emotion overwhelmed him. He couldn't believe it. "You never could put it together! The most simplest of things because you was so arrogant and so sure of yourself!"  
"Excuse me?"  
"Checkmate." Ryan bellowed with laughter, smiling from ear to ear. "The most obvious thing and you never even thought about it!"  
"And what exactly was that!" Persephone snarled.

Ryan's laughter turned into quiet and harshly cold chuckles. "My obituary." Ryan smirked, watching how suddenly Persephone froze and stared at him. "A report of me missing? Anything! You were so swept up in getting rid of me, that you never spared a second thought to following up and making sure that the job got done."  
"Who do you-"  
"Instead, your pet rapist decided to carry out the attack on the wrong target."

Ryan tossed a line of photos across the table watching the colour drain away from Persephone's face slowly.

Silence followed, a silence which carried the wight of everything Ryan had wanted her to feel. Every ounce of dread, horror and agony that should have been felt from the first moment she had tried to mess with his life. He could see the dawning realisation, the pain slipping out of her like an engraving in stone as her hand began to reach out towards the faced down photos. Each time the tips of her fingers neared the paper, she wrenched her hand back, as though she had been scolded by an invisible flame.

Of course she hadn't seen Jack up in the attic, Ryan had been stood in front of him and the shock of him being alive had been all that Persephone had been able to focus on. Of course she hadn't noticed the blue eyed blond who had stood behind him, staring at the woman with a look similar to that of pain. Maybe it had been Jack's mind struggling to try and place yet another face that didn't fit. But of course Persephone didn't understand it had been her 'little rose' she had been looking at.

Jack's own mother could look him right in the eyes and truly not understand it was him that she was looking at. The way the fragile boy looked was but a fraction of a reason as to why Jack hardly looked like the same person any more.

"Look. At. Them." Ryan whispered softly, like the teasing voice of a lover. He was taunting her and he knew it. He was pushing her mind to the limit as with what he had just done. Persephone's prize had been Jack, her 'little Rose', her adored little boy that she had loved above anything and everything else. Ryan knew that Persephone had only one weakness, one weakness at all if any. Jack was the killing strike of a knife to her heart. Anything that hurt him was inflicted tenfold on her.

"LOOK AT THEM!" He roared, his voice going so strong and loud that he was unsure whether he'd actually make his throat bleed.

Even Persephone was taken back at this point, startling back suddenly in her seat like she had just been struck in the face, but Ryan wasn't done... no... god no. He was going to finish this, once and for all. He was going to make her suffer. He was going to make sure that any pain he had felt in the last two years, would now be felt by her.

Ten fold.

And he had suffered enough to break any man or woman.

"The second thing you forgot." He whispered softly as he had enough of watching her tentative hand begin to half turn over the first picture, before he finally slammed it down brutally onto the table.

The police and hospital had come and taken pictures within the first few days and weeks. Every picture that Ryan had taken had been taken in for evidence... the ones he had printed off for them and helped the hospital take. But he had made sure to get his own copies... he had plans for each and every single one of these photos. So now slamming the first of a boy with razors sticking out of his wrists, just before where the words had been engraved into Jack's skin, now showed the deep and almost completely open vein picture of blood pouring out.

 _ **Traitor, Pyscho, Bitch, Slut, Queer, Monster, Rose.**_

Those words were so far engraved into Ryan's own mind that he could already see Persephone's own eyes forming that mirror thought of them as Ryan slammed over the next picture of a pale exposed torso, long lines of deep and open cut skin showed to reveal various almost tribal like lines. Along each rib was a wide crimson gap, almost completely cut down to bone. Every line made as a permanent marking... it had meant to have been as slow and torturous as possible.

"Sirena." He was careful immediately only to use that name. He may have been enjoying his victory of watching Persephone agonise over what she had done, but this was still a careful game. "He was smart... he knew just what a evil bitch you was-"  
"MY SON LOVED ME!" Persephone screamed, but fell silent as Ryan slammed over the next photo making her sob out and slam a hand over her mouth as she was forced to look away from the picture of Jack after they had shaved him, face soaked in blood and deep purple bruises. The black circles set deeply around his eyes like brands, his cheeks slashed harshly, blood dripping down from still recently split lips.  
"Your son saw you for the vindictive and evil bitch you are." Ryan stated so harshly that for a moment from the deep loathing and horror set in her eyes as makeup ran down her cheeks. "But he wasn't your son... he wasn't even his mother's son... after everything, everything that had been put through." Ryan snarled and slammed down picture after picture. "He still loved someone... after you taught him to be a monster and he believed himself to be. He was beautiful, incredible, amazing... we were happy together! We were in love with each other!" He shook his head, his voice rising to a scream before he slammed his chair across the kitchen and stormed around to take a stance next to her as he held onto the last picture.

"He was... was amazing and..." Ryan's voice broke as it became nothing more than a pained and gentle whisper.

He stared at her for a long minute before letting the last full body picture of Jack crashed out after having being seen to. Every engraved word standing out in weeping crimson. Every cut, every mark, every ounce of the attack as clear on him as the summer sun on a cloudless July day. It was a picture Ryan had only looked at one other time since having taken it. On the day that Jack had woken up from his coma, he had looked at the photo to remind himself of why he had waited two years, of how far the boy had come in two years.

"And you destroyed him." Ryan whispered. "You. Destroyed. Him. Multiple and near completely fatal wounds sufficed. He nearly bled out on the way to hospital, by the time they found him, they were surprised he hadn't died already. He was concuss, he was all but dead, multiple stab entries, anal tearing, he had hypothermia. Multiple bruises around the throat and the rest of his body, they were stabbing him as they raped him. They knew that it would have been easier to kill him... but they left him in an alleyway to bleed out himself."  
"What pet rapist."

The brunette blinked for a minute, glancing down to the woman who for the first time seemed to look incredulous herself. Tears were running down her face, almost staining her cheek. Her nails were dug so tightly into her palm and thin lines of blood welled up across her hands, dripping faintly onto the wood of the table.

Time for the killing blow.

"Look at those pictures." He whispered softly, letting his voice be the lulling poison as the knife point of his words dug into her soul. "Look at the words they engraved into him."  
"You think that one of mine would rape him?!" She snarled. "My children look out for each other! They are all each other have! They obey their Mamma, but they look out for each other-"  
"By the point of the first stabbing, they would have realised it wasn't me!" Ryan purred, leaning back to sit casually on the table. The first incision slice was made to the cheek. Besides, don't you think that from the screaming, or when they put him on the floor and raped him, they would have seen it wasn't me and stopped." Ryan pulled out one last photo from his jacket pocket and threw it out onto the table. "And if you needed any more evidence." He nodded to the picture as Persephone turned it over and stared down at the image of Jack's oldest scar; _**Rose**_

Her face paled, looking between the writing on the old scar compared to the new one.

"Same hand writing."  
"Ho-how could you be sure-" Persephone began in a growl but cut off as Ryan lowered his face down to hers and looked into the pits of her eyes. The darkness of his pupils was blacker than midnight. The coldness, the sheer and deadly serious of the look.  
"I stared at each mark till the moment I lost Sirena. I know the writing of those scars more than I know how to breathe." Ryan whispered, his voice so harsh and yet gentle that the woman before him even felt a cold chill run through her blood. "And I had... other means of finding out." He slowly brought his phone out of his pocket and slid it onto the table. "After all... I may not have been playing the game as long as you." He glanced back into the depths of her eyes, looking in that moment more daunting and more deadly than most. "But I play it better."  
 _"I would have made sure you was the one I destroyed in the alley way and not that little bitch."_

Persephone froze, her eyes widening even further had it been possible as King's voice poured out of Ryan's phone.

 _"You got him to date his rapist."_ Ryan's voice came out of the recording while the brunette glared down at the phone.  
 _"Well it was easy to do."_ King's arrogant voice continued gloating. _  
_"Stop it." Persephone whispered.  
 _"Yes I plucked Persephone's little rose made sure that everyone else around knew what a pretty little petal he was."  
_ "Stop. It." She voice slipped into a growl slowly.

Ryan glared at her and just turned it up louder so there was no hiding from it.  
 _"Oh you should have heard him screaming, and that was before I even started cutting him."  
_ "STOP IT!" She screamed standing up and back away from the phone, but Ryan had the recording on repeat. Every sickening admission that King made played over and over again, Persephone was falling apart, petal by petal. It was like watching a rose torn apart in a gale force wind.  
"He tried to rape me... he failed. He raped Sirena. Twice." Ryan closed in on her as it came the point to finally destroy the last of her. He stood above her, dominant and unwavering. "And if you think about it..."  
"No." She said, backing away from him like he was an unleashed and deadly animal and she was a defenceless child.  
"Then if you have to ultimately put it down to a reason that Sirena is now gone?"  
"STOP IT!" She screamed again, pushing herself against a wall and looking down into those harsh eyes bore into her venomously.  
"It's all because you sent the guy to finish a job that he started years before." Ryan whispered, almost smiling as he thought he could visibly see her soul breaking apart in her eyes. "Sirena is gone." He purred. "Because. Of. You."

Before the words were even gone and finished escaping out his mouth, she was already turning away and making fast for the door, grabbing her bag, grabbing her coat. Her impeding sense of victory in coming in and hunting Ryan down had now been flipped. He had just shown her, her worst fear, defied her and now destroyed her.

So with one last shout reminder and call after her, he let his own victory set as she fled.

Rain began to pour and hammer down against the windows, the crest of the sky lighting up with sparks of brilliant lightning, forking and lashing like a whip across the distance. He bit back a smile and stared out across the glass panes for a long minute, watching as the rain pelted the the windows like bullet fire. He stayed in the view of them only long enough to watch the car presumably Persephone had arrived in, sped away sending a rain and hail of gravel behind it.  
"Check mate." He stated, and turned on the heel of his foot and walked away, back to love the boy he promised he would keep safe till the day he took his last breath.


End file.
